KUALA LUMPUR: The government is confident that efforts to resolve the Sulu group’s claims will have a positive outcome.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar stressed that the government’s strategy to address the problem and the claims was reflected in the actions taken, including the creation of a special task force.
He said the government would ensure that the country’s interests were served and that its sovereignty was maintained.
“The government is also confident that all the actions and strategies that are being and will be implemented to deal with this issue will yield positive results with the support of all parties, especially Malaysians,” he said in a statement today.
The government has never recognized the Sulu group’s claims and has never waived its sovereign immunity as a sovereign state.
He said the special task force set up to handle claims brought by the heirs of the Sultanate of Sulu against the Malaysian government discussed, among other things, the legal actions the Malaysian government had taken to address the claim in Spain and France during its initial meeting last Wednesday.
Wan Junaidi, who presided over the meeting, added that the topic of handing over money amounting to 5,300 dollars per year was also discussed.
The Feb 28 final award did not address the issue of the party claiming to be the heir to the Sultanate of Sulu annexing Sabah’s territory or challenging the state’s sovereignty.
“The special task force is also aware that, by the High Court of Madrid’s ruling from June 29, 2021, Dr. Stampa’s appointment as an arbitrator and all of his procedural actions are revoked.
“Based on the same decision, the High Court of Madrid ruled that Dr. Stampa’s ‘Partial Award on Jurisdiction’ from May 25, 2020, is void and unenforceable,” he said.
He added that as a result, the government also filed a request to revoke the Exequatur Order and a request to halt its enforcement.
“The French court approved the government’s request to halt the Exequatur Order’s enforcement on December 16, 2021.
“The government then filed a request with the French court to suspend the enforcement of the final award as well as to revoke the final award issued by Dr. Stampa on Feb 28.
“The court involved allowed the application to suspend the enforcement of the final award on July 12, 2022,” he said.
