Sulu heirs’ demand a threat to the nation, cops to probe case under sabotage, says IGP

KUALA LUMPUR: Bukit Aman will conduct a thorough investigation following a police report lodged against a group who claimed to be the heirs of the Sulu Sultanate, says Tan Sri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani.

The Inspector-General of Police confirmed that the police had received a report lodged by the Prime Minister's Department Legal Affairs Division director-general.

"The report was lodged following the group's demand of more than US$32bil through arbitration, which was handed over to the government on July 30, 2019. The demand is a threat to the nation," he said in a statement on Tuesday (May 30).

Bukit Aman CID's Special Investigation Unit (USJT) has opened an investigation paper under Section 124(K) of the Penal Code for sabotage, the IGP said.

"We view any element that can jeopardise public order seriously, especially the act of sabotage towards the nation's security, sovereignty, and stability,” he added.

In April, one of the self-proclaimed heirs to the Sulu Sultanate, Fuad A Kiram, was declared as a terrorist by the government.

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.