THE next proceedings in the case involving the Sulu group's claim are scheduled to be heard at the Paris Court of Appeal on July 7, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.
She said the hearing would see the French judiciary examine the validity of the arbitration award imposed on Malaysia as well as various related legal aspects.
“Malaysia will continue to exhaust all efforts, rights and available resources to protect the country’s sovereign immunity and interests, and to end the baseless fraud case by the Sulu group.
“Several recent rulings in Malaysia’s favour have significantly strengthened Malaysia’s legal position and sovereignty as an independent nation,” she said in a statement as reported by Bernama.
She added that among these decisions were the French Court of Cassation’s cancellation of the recognition of the preliminary award, the Dutch Supreme Court’s rejection of the final award, and the French Court of Appeal’s criminal conviction of arbitrator Gonzalo Stampa for contempt of court.
Azalina said the Sulu group’s claim had challenged the limits of Malaysia’s sovereign immunity, exposing how third-party funding was misused to prolong baseless claims against Malaysia through highly deceptive means, while also revealing attempts by private arbitration tribunals to seize government assets.
Currently on a working visit to Europe, Azalina also met with the legal team representing Malaysia in Paris to continue strategising and receive updates on the ongoing Sulu claim case.
Previously, eight Filipino nationals claiming to be heirs of the now-defunct Sulu Sultanate filed arbitration proceedings in Spain to demand billions of US dollars from Malaysia over issues involving Sabah. In March 2019, a court in Madrid appointed Stampa as the arbitrator for the case.
On Feb 28, 2022, Stampa ruled in favour of the group and issued a Final Award of USD14.9 billion through an unlawful arbitration process, despite his appointment having already been annulled by a Spanish court.
Malaysia has since secured a series of legal victories in the case, including in November last year, when the French Supreme Court fully rejected the group’s legal challenge.
That historic win for Malaysia meant the original basis for the Final Award -- which required Malaysia to pay USD14.9 billion in compensation -- was not recognised under French law. – April 30, 2025
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