Decision On Pulau Batu Puteh Dispute In Six Months - Kadir

From Nor Faridah A. Rashid

THE HAGUE, Nov 25 - Malaysia hopes the decision on the sovereignty dispute case over Pulau Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks and South Ledge between Malaysia and Singapore will be known in six months.

Tan Sri Abdul Kadir Mohamad, Malaysia's agent for the case before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) here, said in the case of Ligitan and Sipadan between Malaysia and Indonesia, which Malaysia won, the ICJ took six months to reach a decision after the completion of oral hearings.

"We hope the court can reach a decision in the present case within the same time frame," he told Malaysian journalists covering the case.

Abdul Kadir said the Malaysian delegation firmly believed Malaysia had a credible case and had presented it in the best possible manner.

"We pray Malaysia will win this case. Of course, the outcome is left to the court to decide. Both countries have declared to the court that they will accept the decision of the court and abide by it," he said.

He said that in this connection, he would like to appeal to all Malaysians to be patient until the court had made a decision and its judgment publicly announced.

"Until then, all of us should refrain from saying anything or doing anything that can prejudice the minds of the 16 Judges against Malaysia," said Abdul Kadir who led the Malaysian delegation to the hearing.

Abdul Kadir is Ambassador-at-Large and the Prime Minister's Special Adviser on Foreign Affairs. Datuk Noor Farida Ariffin, the Malaysian Ambassador to The Netherlands, was the co-agent.

Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail had also represented Malaysia together with Malaysia's team of international lawyers, namely Sir Elihu Lauterpacht and James Crawford, both professors in International Law at the Cambridge University; Nicolaas Jan Schrijver, professor of Public International Law, Leiden University; Marcelo G. Kohen, professor of International Law, the Graduate Institute of International Studies, Geneva; and Penelope Nevill, college lecturer, Downing College, Cambridge University.

Abdul Kadir said the Malaysian team had performed extremely well during the oral hearings from Nov 6 to 23 and that everything went according to plan. both substantively as well as organisationally.

The team's good performance in court, comprising three Malaysian senior officials and five prominent international legal experts, was in no small measure due to the good preparatory work, especially research work, which had been done by Malaysian officials for no less than 15 years, in Malaysia and worldwide, he said.

He said the research, headed and coordinated by Wisma Putra, has been a real national effort involving many government agencies, universities and other institutions.

"I can confidently say what needed to be done has been done," Abdul Kadir said.

Abdul Kadir, who also led the Malaysian team in the Ligitan and Sipadan oral hearings in 2002, said Lauterpacht, Crawford and Schrijver were counsel for Malaysia in that case, and the three of them were on the Malaysian team again in the present case, backed by two other international legal experts, Kohen and Nevill.

The ICJ, which concluded hearing the case Friday, would now start its deliberations.

An ICJ statement said the judgment would be rendered at a public sitting, the date of which would be announced in due course.

During the proceedings, Singapore was led by Ambassador-at-Large Prof Tommy Koh, who was also the republic's agent - Bernama

Keputusan Pertikaian Batu Puteh Dalam Masa Enam Bulan - Kadir

THE HAGUE, 25 Nov - Malaysia berharap keputusan berhubung pertikaian kedaulatan Pulau Batu Puteh, Terumbu Karang Tengah serta Terumbu Karang Selatan antara Malaysia dan Singapura akan diketahui dalam masa enam bulan.

Tan Sri Abdul Kadir Mohamad, ejen Malaysia bagi kes itu di Mahkamah Keadilan Antarabangsa (ICJ) di sini, berkata dalam kes Ligitan dan Sipadan antara Malaysia dan Indonesia, yang dimenangi Malaysia, ICJ mengambil masa enam bulan untuk membuat keputusan selepas menamatkan pendengaran lisan.

"Kami harap mahkamah dapat membuat keputusan dalam kes sekarang dalam tempoh yang sama," katanya kepada wartawan Malaysia yang membuat liputan kes berkenaan.

Abdul Kadir berkata delegasi Malaysia sesungguhnya percaya bahawa Malaysia mempunyai kes yang munasabah dan telahpun membentangkannya dalam cara yang sebaik mungkin.

"Kami berdoa agar Malaysia memenangi kes itu. Memanglah, keputusannya mahkamah yang menentukan. Kedua-dua negara telahpun mengisytiharkan kepada mahkamah bahawa mereka menerima keputusan itu dan akan akur," katanya.

Beliau berkata dalam hubungan ini, beliau ingin merayu kepada semua rakyat Malaysia supaya bersabar sehingga mahkamah membuat keputusan dan mengumumkan penghakimannya.

"Sehingga itu, kita semua perlu mengelak daripada menyatakan atau melakukan sesuatu yang boleh membangkitkan prasangka dalam minda 16 hakim terhadap Malaysia," kata Abdul Kadir yang mengetuai delegasi Malaysia ke pendengaran itu.

Abdul Kadir adalah Duta Tugas-tugas Khas dan Penasihat Khas Hal Ehwal Luar kepada Perdana Menteri. Datuk Noor Farida Ariffin, Duta Malaysia ke The Netherlands, adalah ejen bersama.

Peguam Negara Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail juga mewakili Malaysia bersama pasukan peguam antarabangsa Malaysia iaitu Sir Elihu Lauterpacht dan James Crawford, kedua-duanya profesor dalam Undang-undang Antarabangsa di Cambridge University; Nicolaas Jan Schrijver, profesor Undang-undang Awam Antarabangsa, Leiden University; Marcelo G. Kohen, profesor Undang-undang Antarabangsa, the Graduate Institute of International Studies, Geneva; dan Penelope Nevill, pensyarah kolej, Downing College, Cambridge University.

Abdul Kadir berkata pasukan Malaysia melakukan tugas yang amat baik semasa pendengaran lisan berlangsung dari 6 hingga 23 Nov dan segala-galanya berjalan mengikut perancangan.

Prestasi yang baik oleh pasukan itu, terdiri daripada tiga pegawai kanan Malaysia dan lima pakar perundangan antarabangsa terkemuka, bukanlah calang-calang berikutan persediaan yang baik terutamanya kerja-kerja penyelidikan, yang dijalankan oleh pegawai Malaysia tidak kurang daripada 15 tahun, di Malaysia dan seluruh dunia, katanya.

Beliau berkata penyelidikan itu, yang diketuai dan diselaraskan oleh Wisma Putra, merupakan satu usaha nasional yang sebenar membabitkan banyak agensi kerajaan, universiti dan institusi lain.

"Saya dengan penuh yakin mengatakan bahawa apa yang perlu dilakukan sudahpun dilaksanakan," kata Abdul Kadir.

Abdul Kadir, yang turut mengetuai pasukan Malaysia dalam penderangan lisan Ligitan dan Sipadan pada 2002, berkata Lauterpacht, Crawford dan Schrijver merupakan peguam yang mewakili Malaysia dalam kes itu, dan ketiga-tiga mereka sekali lagi menganggotai pasukan Malaysia dalam kes sekarang, dengan disokong oleh dua lagi pakar perundangan antarabangsa, Kohen dan Nevill.

ICJ, yang menamatkan pendengaran kes itu pada Jumaat, kini akan memulakan perbincangan.

Satu kenyataan ICJ menyebut penghakiman akan dibuat pada sidang awam, dan tarikhnya akan diumumkan kemudian.

Dalam prosiding itu, Singapura diketuai oleh Duta Tugas-tugas Khas Prof Tommy Koh, yang juga ejen republik itu - Bernama