One of Sulu Sultanate heirs declared a terrorist, says Khairul Dzaimee

PETALING JAYA: One of the self-proclaimed heirs of the Sulu Sultanate has been declared a terrorist by the government, says Datuk Seri Khairul Dzaimee Daud.

The Prime Minister's Department legal affairs division director-general, in a briefing to the media on Tuesday (April 11), said the government has declared Fuad A Kiram a terrorist.

The designation was made by the Home Ministry under the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing, and Proceeds of Illegal Activities Act, with effect April 6.

"The Home Minister has listed Fuad, or known by his real name as Muhammad Fuad Abdullah Kiram, a terrorist," he said as quoted by Sinar Harian.

Fuad has been linked to the Royal Sulu Force, a terrorist group that was prosecuted for the armed incursion in Lahad Datu, Sabah in 2013.

In February last year, the Paris Court of Arbitration through arbitrator Gonzalo Stampa ordered Malaysia to pay US$14.9bil to the self-proclaimed heirs of the Sulu sultanate.

Stampa, who was stopped by Spanish courts from hearing the case, had moved the arbitration to Paris to make his decision there.

On March 14, the Paris Court of Appeal dismissed the Sulu claimants' bid to enforce the US$14.9bil purported final award, saying that the challenge filed by the Sulu claimants is inadmissible.

The decision meant that the stay obtained by Malaysia on July 12 last year to stop the Sulu claimants from enforcing the disputed US$14.9bil arbitration win remains.

Khairul also told the press that his division would engage stakeholders in Sabah regarding the case.

He added the Cabinet had approved the appointment of a United Kingdom-based public relations to handle media strategies for the case.