Malaysia Rejects Frivolous Claims Over Sabah By United Tausug Citizens
Date
3/9/2024 12:07:57 AM
(MENAFN- Nam News Network)
KUALA LUMPUR, March 9 (Bernama) -
Malaysia rejects what it terms as frivolous claims
by the self-styled group, United Tausug Citizens (UTC), which
claim to be the“rightful custodians of the Sultanate of Sulu Territory” over the state of Sabah, says Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform), Azalina Othman Said.
She said
UTC, had requested the Malaysian government for immediate payment of US$15 billion in what they dubbed as“Cession Money” and sought
recognition of UTC as“a sovereign and independent State Kingdom” as well as
threatening 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,” she said in a statement today
Azalina also highlighted that 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.
“The Sulu Sultanate has been defunct for several decades and is not recognised by any sovereign State or international organisation,” she said.
Moreover, she highlighted 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
reaffirmed Malaysia's steadfast stance on Sabah, stressing that the Malaysian government has once again
emphasised
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.
In light of these developments, the minister underscored that the international commercial arbitration system is an important mechanism within global dispute resolution and it must be protected from such illegitimate attempts to extort sovereign States under the guise of arbitration claims.
“The Government of Malaysia is actively looking at all possible legal remedies against any frivolous claims to defend its sovereignty, security and interests at all times,” she stressed.
- BERNAMA
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