KUALA LUMPUR, March 9 — A self-styled group named United Tausug Citizens (UTC) People of the Sultanate of Sulu has asked the Malaysian government for an immediate payment of US$15 billion in “Cession Money” and recognition of UTC as a sovereign and independent “State Kingdom”.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said the UTC group, which claims to be the rightful custodians of the Sultanate of Sulu Territory, further threatened to commence legal action against Malaysia in the United States.
“This represents the latest frivolous and baseless attempt by a group to claim sovereignty over Malaysian territory and to extort unfounded payments from Malaysia.
“Malaysia is successfully defeating across Europe a similar attempt by the self-proclaimed heirs of Sultan Jamalul Kiram II based on a fraudulent arbitration award issued by rogue arbitrator Dr Gonzalo Stampa,” she said in statement today.
Azalina also pointed out that the Sulu Sultanate has been defunct for several decades and is not recognised by any sovereign state or international organisation.
“The recent conviction of Dr Gonzalo Stampa by a Madrid Criminal Court to six months imprisonment and one-year disqualification from practising as an arbitrator confirms the criminal abuse of the arbitral processes and gross injustices suffered by Malaysia as a result of the so-called Sulu case,” she added.
Azalina also said Malaysia has never recognised the legitimacy of claims over the sovereignty, territory and natural resources of Sabah.
“The Malaysian government once again emphasises that the exercise of self- determination by Sabah to become part of Malaysia has been a settled legal fact since decolonisation in 1963.
“Since then, Sabah has been an integral part of Malaysia,” she said.
Noting that the international commercial arbitration system is an important mechanism within global dispute resolution, Azalina said it must be protected from such illegitimate attempts to extort sovereign States under the guise of arbitration claims.
She also said the Malaysian government is actively looking at all possible legal remedies against any frivolous claims to defend its sovereignty, security and interests at all times.
