Sulu claim: Malaysia continues to further strengthen sovereign immunity

The Special Secretariat on Sulu Claims, in a statement today, said this included pursuing action against any Malaysians found to have provided material support, directly or indirectly, to the claimants or to any associated parties in the purported arbitration against Malaysia.

"The Malaysian government will not hesitate to defend any Malaysian public officials who performed their duties rightfully, including the Attorney General, in this matter," it said.

According to the secretariat, the French court will decide tomorrow (June 6) whether the purported Partial Award demanded by claimants against Malaysia would be enforced.

On June 3, the Malaysian government denied in full and without limitation the allegations and insinuations in a letter sent by Paul H. Cohen, the lawyer to the party claiming to be the heir of Sultan Jamalul Kiram II (the claimant of the Sulu Group), to the AGC.

The letter, dated May 28, was received by the Attorney-General's Chamber (AGC) the following day (May 29).

According to the AGC, the letter demanded the government to make immediate payment, before June 2, 2023, of the purported Final Award which amounts to USD16.412 billion (including 10 per cent interest) together with USD3,502,394.24 in counsel and expert fees and USD4,026,592.64 in arbitration costs.

Considering that the legal proceedings are still ongoing, the AGC said, it was totally outrageous for the Claimants to demand the payment of the purported Final Award, adding that the allegations by Cohen were obviously false and a clear blatant disregard for the inescapable true facts of the Claims which will create a false written record to be eventually used against Malaysia.