Mohamad said Malaysia and Singapore had begun negotiating the republic’s unilateral development plan for Batu Puteh and delimiting the maritime border between the two countries.

“The ministry has consistently expressed Malaysia’s position and objections, both verbally and in writing.

“Malaysia has pointed out that Singapore has no right or entitlement to conducting development or reclamation activities until the two countries finalise a maritime agreement,” he said during his winding-up speech on the royal address in Dewan Rakyat today.

Mohamad said the foreign ministry and relevant government agencies will continue to seek a resolution over the sovereignty of Batu Puteh in accordance with international laws, without straining diplomatic relations between Malaysia and Singapore.

On May 23, 2008, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Singapore had sovereignty over Batu Puteh, and Malaysia over Middle Rocks, while South Ledge would belong to the state in whose territorial waters it is located.

In June 2017, Malaysia applied to the ICJ to request an interpretation of the judgment.

However, it applied to withdraw the review application, which was recorded by the ICJ on May 29, 2018.

In October 2021, former attorney-general Apandi Ali was appointed to head a task force to review the withdrawal decision. Its report was presented to the Cabinet last year.

On Oct 13 last year, then caretaker prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the Cabinet was told that there was possible negligence and oversight on former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s part regarding the Batu Puteh claim.