KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 12): Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said on Thursday that the motion she tabled to debate the Royal Commission of Inquiry's (RCI) report on Pulau Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks and South Ledge in Dewan Rakyat is not intended to prosecute any individual involved.

The motion seeks only to consider the RCI's recommendations and decisions for addressing shortcomings related to Pulau Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks and South Ledge, she said.

"Whether to prosecute is the responsibility of the attorney general, not the government. As we all know, the attorney general is an independent authority," she said when wrapping up the debate on the motion.

Last week, the government declassified a 271-page report on Pulau Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks and South Ledge. The report recommended initiating a criminal investigation against former prime minister Tun Mahathir Mohamad over Malaysia’s decision not to proceed with the review and interpretation applications regarding the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) decision on whether Malaysia or Singapore has sovereignty over the islets.

Mahathir had previously questioned the integrity of the report, highlighting the redaction of 47 pages and the commission’s decision to hold its proceedings behind closed doors.

On Thursday, Azalina said the redactions were made because the report contained sensitive information that, if disclosed publicly, could jeopardise national security and diplomatic relations.

"The report also contains sensitive personal information about individuals, officers and private witnesses, which was redacted to comply with personal data protection regulations," she noted.

Earlier, the motion sparked intense debate among lawmakers from both sides of the aisle.

The motion urged the House to “jointly take responsibility and firmly support the government, ensuring the commission's findings and recommendations are confirmed and approved, with comprehensive actions taken by relevant parties to address identified weaknesses and preserve the country’s sovereignty”.

Several lawmakers, including government backbenchers, questioned the government's decision to bring the motion to the House for debate.

"We should not allow the House to set a precedent and diperkudakan (to be used) by certain individuals. This is not the right thing to do," said Datuk Willie Mongin (GPS-Puncak Borneo).

Hassan Karim (PKR-Pasir Gudang) argued that pursuing criminal action against the nearly 100-year-old Mahathir would be neither fair nor productive, while saying that all parties should not overlook Mahathir's significant contributions to the country.

Takiyuddin Hassan (PN-Kota Bharu) also criticised the report, describing it as incomplete and lacking full information, while claiming it was prepared with "malafide intent" towards a certain individual who had become a target of those in power.

The motion, however, did not reach a decision, as Azalina moved to adjourn the Dewan Rakyat sitting after concluding her winding-up speech.

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