Sulu group hoping to get money through arbitration - Azalina

KUALA LUMPUR - Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said believes that the self-proclaimed Sulu heirs filed claims against Malaysia through arbitration proceedings for the purpose of getting money.

She questioned why the Sulu group chose to file their claims through arbitration proceedings instead of the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

"I think the locus is questionable, meaning they are using the litigation strategy to make money,” she said after a briefing on the issue of claims by purported heirs of the Sulu sultanate at Parliament building here today.

The Sulu group had been reported as having filed legal action through the Spanish Court to seek compensation for land in Sabah which they claimed had been leased by their ancestors to a British trading company in 1878.

They brought the matter for arbitration in Spain in 2019 and subsequently arbitrator Dr Gonzalo Stampa, who was appointed by the group, made a decision favouring the claimants.

The decision was used to seize Petronas assets in Luxembourg.

Malaysia has used all available legal remedies to nullify the two awards given by Stampa to the group.

Azalina hoped to get the solid support of all MPs regardless of their political leanings in efforts to uphold the sovereignty of Malaysia in this issue of the Sulu claims.

She reiterated that the government would not compromise in the aspect of sovereignty and security and would continue to protect and preserve its interests, sovereign immunity and Malaysia’s sovereignty at all times.

"We will continue to take whatever action is needed to stop the Sulu claims by using all the powers, rights and resources available,” she said.

Azalina said it was feared that the group might try to use other vulnerable assets of the country as their next target of claims.

"Anyone (companies) can become a target. We need to be fully aware of this,” she said.

In this connection, the government would continue to speak out in efforts to prevent the country’s assets from being seized by this group, she said.

More than 50 MPs attended the briefing, which was aimed at giving them the proper background to the Sulu claims issue, including developments regarding court actions in Spain, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, as well as the local and international Strategic Communications Plan.

The briefing also enabled MPs to air their views and ask questions on the issue. - BERNAMA