KUALA LUMPUR: Former Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin stated that the 2018 cabinet decision regarding the Pulau Batu Puteh case was a collective one and should not be solely attributed to the Prime Minister at the time, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
In a statement today, Muhyiddin explained that the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government's decision to withdraw Malaysia's appeal over the sovereignty of Pulau Batu Puteh was made during a Cabinet meeting on May 23, 2018, based on the principle of collective responsibility.
"Although the matter was raised under the agenda of other matters by the then Prime Minister, it did not prevent any cabinet member from giving their views.
"Moreover, once the cabinet has made a decision, it is the collective responsibility of all cabinet members to accept and support it.
"Therefore, it is not right to hold the prime minister then, personally accountable for a decision made by the cabinet as a whole", he said in a brief statement today.
Muhyiddin also dismissed accusations of betrayal against the nation in the matter and warned against the precedent of prosecuting a former prime minister over a cabinet decision.
"To bring a former PM to court merely for decisions made by the government and endorsed by the cabinet during his tenure is unwarranted. Such actions set a bad precedent for the country," he said.
He issued the statement in reference to a joint statement by Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu, and Anthony Loke Siew Fook, who had issued a statement on the matter earlier.
Muhyiddin said it is important to adhere to the principle of collective responsibility in cabinet decisions to ensure accountability remains shared among all members of the administration.
"This principle is essential to upholding the integrity of the decision-making process in government," Muhyiddin said.
Pulau Batu Puteh, also known as Pedra Branca in Singapore, has been a point of contention between Malaysia and Singapore. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) awarded sovereignty over the island to Singapore in 2008, but Malaysia filed a review application in 2017, which was later withdrawn by the PH government in 2018.