M'sia rejects 'frivolous' claim on Sabah by United Tausug Citizens, says Azalina

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said. – Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia rejects the frivolous statement by the self-styled United Tausug Citizens (UTC) group which claims to be the "rightful custodians of the Sultanate of Sulu Territory” over Sabah, says Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said (pic).

The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform)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 on Saturday (March 9).

Azalina said 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.

Azalina added that 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 said. - Bernama