KOTA KINABALU: Six Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) MPs have urged Putrajaya to further probe any party that has created an avenue for the self-proclaimed Sulu heirs in their arbitration claim including former attorney general Tommy Thomas.
The six MPs are Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan (Keningau), Datuk Armizan Ali (Papar), Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan (Batu Sapi), Datuk Jonathan Yasin (Ranau), Datuk Matbali Musah (Sipitang) and Lo Su Fui (Tawau).
In their statement here on Thursday (June 15), the MPs said they fully supported Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who had stated his firm stance on the claim by the self-styled heirs during a briefing on the Sulu claimants' case in Parliament on Wednesday (June 14).
Anwar had said that the government would not hesitate to take legal action on those who jeopardised national security by supporting, colluding or helping the claimants whether directly or indirectly.
“In connection with that, we also urge the government to make further inquiries on the actions of any party who has created space for the claimants to manipulate certain mechanisms or international legal processes (for their claim) through the 'forum shopping' approach.
“This includes further detailed investigation on the former AG who had sent a letter to the claimants’ lawyers dated Sept 19, 2019 without the approval of the federal Cabinet as per the government's answer in the Dewan Rakyat last March 28,” they said.
In the letter, Thomas reportedly regretted that payments had ceased in 2013 and said Malaysia was "now ready and willing" to pay heirs of the defunct Sulu Sultanate all arrears from 2013 to 2019 amounting to RM48,300.
Prominent Sabah lawyer Roger Chin had said that would be considered as an admission of owing money to the so-called heirs and would be a damaging blow to Malaysia’s case against the claimants’ Madrid and Paris arbitration claims then.
The GRS MPs said their call for a further probe on the former AG was in line with GRS' position from the start of their dispute over Thomas’ actions in managing issues related to the unfounded claims by the group.
They said this position had been expressed through the legal suit filed by nine GRS leaders against the former AG at the High Court here on Aug 16, 2022.
Besides Kitingan, the other plaintiffs were Datuk Seri Dr Joachim Gunsalam, Datuk Jahid Jahim, Datuk Ellron Angin, Datuk Joniston Bangkuai, Datuk Abidin Madingkir, Datuk Robert Tawik, Datuk Julita Mojungki and Datuk Flovia Ng.
The plaintiffs had sought a declaration from the court that Thomas, who was the AG from 2018 to 2020, had committed misfeasance while in public office.
Towards this end, the GRS MPs further urged the Federal Government to strengthen its governance to ensure that no one else in government would in future act unilaterally in any sensitive matters involving territorial integrity and the country’s sovereignty especially when it comes to Sabah.
“This includes the need to carry out discussions with Sabah government,” they said.
