M'sia yet to get formal notice of purported attachment attempt in Luxembourg by so-called Sulu heirs

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia has yet to receive formal notification of any purported attachment of PETRONAS assets in Luxembourg by the self-styled heirs to the SUlu sultanate, says Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.

The Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) said, in a statement Friday (Feb 17), that Malaysia will continue to defend its rights vigorously before the courts to ensure that this second attachment, if it exists, will be promptly lifted by the courts there.

"If they (attachment claims) prove to be true, this would not be the first time that the purported 'Sulu heirs' attempt to seize Malaysia’s assets in Luxembourg on the basis of a purported final award rendered by a Spanish lawyer whose appointment as arbitrator was nullified by the same court that had initially appointed him without hearing Malaysia.

"Rather, this alleged new attempt to attach assets would follow a first and failed attachment, which was recently lifted by the Luxembourg courts," she said in the statement.

Azalina also reminded that the so-called heirs and their counsel were trying to distort the truth before the media.

The full statement can be read below: