Malaysia, IO – Ex-PM of Malaysia Mahathir Mohamad has clarified his remarks about Malaysia’s reclaiming the Riau Islands and Singapore, which he said was part of the Malay ancestral land.
Mahathir said his statement had been taken out of context and misconstrued. “I am not asking Malaysia to claim the land that we had lost,” Mahathir said as reported by Antara, Friday (24/6).
Mahathir said his intention was to question why Malaysia was so worried about losing a table-size rocky outcrop but never concerned about the larger part of Malaysia being taken from them.
“Losing Batu Puteh Island [Pedra Branca] is not a big deal. It was the mistake of the Johor government to deny that the rock belonged to Johor. Had that denial not been made, there would be no dispute now,” he said.