PETALING JAYA: The Paris Court of Appeal has annulled in full the purported “Final Award” worth US$14.92bil issued by arbitrator Gonzalo Stampa on Feb 28, 2022, and has ordered the so-called Sulu claimants to pay €200,000 (RM957,140) in costs to Malaysia.
According to a statement issued by the Sulu Special Secretariat War Room on behalf of the Malaysian government, the court ruled on Tuesday that Stampa had no jurisdiction to issue the purported award, as there was no valid arbitration agreement binding Malaysia.
“As a result, the court annulled the purported ‘Final Award’ in its entirety. Malaysia trusts this victory will put an end to the baseless attempts by the so-called Sulu claimants (and their litigation funder) to extort money and assets from the people of Malaysia.
“In any event, Malaysia stands ready to continue the fight before any court approached by the so-called Sulu claimants,” the secretariat said yesterday.
It added that on June 6, 2023, the Paris Court of Appeal had already refused recognition and enforcement of Stampa’s purported “Partial Award” issued on May 25, 2020 on the same grounds.
Subsequently on Nov 6, 2024, the French Supreme Court dismissed in full the challenge filed by the claimants against the decision of the Paris Court of Appeal.
“The government of Malaysia reaffirms its unwavering commitment to defend Malaysia’s sovereignty, immunity and national interests against the baseless claims made in the Sulu fraud,” the secretariat said.
In February 2022, eight individuals claiming to be descendants of Sultan Jamalul Kiram II, of the defunct Sultanate of Sulu, obtained a purported final award of US$14.92bil in an arbitration proceeding against the Malaysian government.
