Takiyuddin Hassan (PN-Kota Bharu) said the motion was submitted to Dewan Rakyat Speaker Johari Abdul this morning under Standing Order 36(12), which concerns misleading the House.

The motion follows Anwar informing the Dewan Rakyat that the Cabinet had decided not to pursue legal action against former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad over his role in the Batu Puteh case due to his advanced age.

Takiyuddin, the opposition chief whip, said Anwar had misled the Dewan Rakyat by implying that the authority to prosecute Mahathir over the Batu Puteh issue lay with the prime minister and his Cabinet, rather than the attorney-general (AG).

“Does this imply that the prime minister is interfering in legal matters, overriding the courts and even the AG’s powers?” Takiyuddin said in a press conference at Parliament alongside other opposition MPs.

He added that the authority to decide on prosecutions lies with the AG, as stated in Article 145(3) of the Federal Constitution.

“But the prime minister has shown the House – and by extension, the whole world – that this is how a Malaysian prime minister behaves: misleading Parliament and abusing power.

“Therefore, I have submitted a motion on behalf of Perikatan Nasional to refer him to the rights and privileges committee,” he said.

A royal commission of inquiry (RCI) last year found that Mahathir had likely acted deliberately to influence the Cabinet to discontinue review applications regarding Batu Puteh’s sovereignty in 2018, despite the views of international consultants who said the applications had a reasonable likelihood of success.

The RCI recommended that a police report be lodged against Mahathir, saying a criminal investigation could be initiated under Section 415(b) of the Penal Code for cheating.

Earlier today, Anwar brushed off Mahathir’s remarks that the former prime minister did not need immunity from legal action in the matter.