PARIS: France's highest civil court has rejected an appeal lodged by the so-called Sulu heirs, drawing a line under a years-long legal battle with the state of Malaysia.
The Filipino heirs of the last Sultan of Sulu won a US$14.9bil award in a French arbitration court in 2022 in a long-running dispute over a colonial-era land deal, prompting them to go after Malaysian assets.
But a Paris court later upheld the Malaysian government's challenge against enforcing a partial award. The Cour de Cassation on Wednesday confirmed the decision.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said (pic), in a Facebook post said the French Supreme Court has delivered a "historic victory for Malaysia."
"This important decision means that the initial basis for the sham Final Award that ordered Malaysia to pay US$15bi, is not recognised under French law. The Paris Court of Appeal will now proceed, in due course, to annul the so-called 'final award' rendered by Dr Stampa, and will definitively settle the matter in favour of the Malaysian people.
"I welcome with great satisfaction this landmark decision by the French Supreme Court as a momentous victory for the rule of law, which will help preserve the sanctity of international arbitration as an alternative form of dispute resolution," she said on Wednesday (Nov 6).
She also expressed thanks to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for his continued support and unwavering trust in their ongoing effort to uphold Malaysia's position.
