PETALING JAYA: The Attorney General's Chambers (AGC) has disputed Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali's explanation why Malaysia lost its case to Singapore over Pulau Batu Puteh.

The former attorney general, in an interview published by Malay-language daily Utusan Malaysia, had claimed that Malaysia lost its case because it did not question the authority of the-then acting Johor state secretary.

In the interview, Apandi said the International Court of Justice (ICJ) had focused on a letter by the acting state secretary dated 1953, which stated that Malaysia was not interested in Pedra Branca.

Apandi said the question of whether the official, as acting state secretary, had the authority to issue such a letter was not questioned, hence the loss.

However, the AGC stated that arguments on the issue of authority had been made during oral arguments in 2007, and the ICJ itself had concluded that the 1953 letter was merely an answer to an enquiry and did not have legal weight.

The AGC also disputed that no decision had been made on South Ledge, and that both Malaysia and Singapore had formed a joint committee to implement the ICJ's judgement with regards to the rocks.

As the June dates to hear Malaysia's application to revise the 2008 judgement drew near and while Apandi was on garden leave, the issue was brought up before Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamd for instruction.

He was briefed by three legal consultants who had been appointed by Apandi in 2017 to work on Malaysia's application, said the AGC.

"Having considered the views and other national interest matters, including costs, the PM decided it would be best to discontinue the proceedings," said the statement.

The decision was conveyed to both the new Cabinet on May 23, and also to the Sultan of Johor.