Malaysia seeks The Hague court to dismiss Sulu claimants' bid to enforce final award of US$14.9bil

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has submitted its defence that the Sulu claimants’ application for the recognition and enforcement of a purported arbitral award of US$14.9bil (RM62.59bil) issued against Malaysia in February 2022 is null and void.

The Sulu Secretariat in a statement said therefore, the claimants’ request was inadmissible and must, in any case, be denied.

It said the Hague Court of Appeal heard the application brought by the Sulu claimants in the Netherlands and the court heard submissions from both parties during the proceeding held on April 17.

"Malaysia maintains the position that there is no arbitration agreement to provide any basis for any purported arbitration.

"...and the commencement of a commercial arbitration against any matter which casts a bearing on sovereignty is disingenuous and a blatant abuse of international commercial arbitration process," the statement read.

The secretariat said Malaysia was committed to safeguarding its sovereignty and upholding the sanctity of the international commercial arbitration process and laying bare the claimants' frivolous attempts to enforce a sham award that is null and void.

"This is an attempt to hold a sovereign state to ransom and the continued existence of the award tarnishes the reputation of the globally respected arbitration system," it said.

Malaysia denounced this attempt to pervert the rule of law, does not recognise the alleged legitimacy of the purported arbitral award and was litigating across Europe to ensure that this scam was exposed and the award was overturned, it said.

On Feb 28 2022, Dr Gonzalo Stampa, an international arbitrator based in Madrid, Spain was said to have given a Final Award to the Sulu Claimant of US$14.9bil (RM62.59bil).

On March 14 2023, the Paris Court of Appeal upheld the Suspension Order against the enforcement of the Final Award to Malaysia in Paris, France.

Therefore, the suspension order obtained by Malaysia on July 12, 2022 for the enforcement of the Final Award (US$14.9bil (RM62.59bil) was permanent. - Bernama