KUALA LUMPUR: The claim by the Sulu Group, suggesting they are free to take action against Sabah, including potentially leasing it to countries like China or the Philippines, is senseless, says Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.
The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) reaffirmed that as a sovereign nation that gained independence in 1957, Malaysia would oppose this claim, as Sabah was an integral part of the country.
Azalina was responding to a report yesterday in which Paul Cohen, the lead lawyer for the Sulu Group, described Malaysia's victory in the French Supreme Court as a "self-defeating” ruling, and argued that his clients are now free to take action against Sabah.
"We have the Cobbold Commission and the Referendum, so what he (Cohen) is saying doesn’t make sense to me. But as a lawyer, he has the right to say it. If he believes his clients have a case, that’s his perspective.
"But my response is: just try, we will fight it,” she told reporters after launching the 2024 Kuala Lumpur Forum on International Arbitration on Wednesday (Nov 13).
However, Azalina said the government would decide whether to seek reimbursement for legal fees, court-related travel expenses, and other costs once the entire case concerning the Sulu group's claim is concluded.
Earlier, the media reported that Cohen said his clients were now pursuing action against Sabah, including the possibility of leasing it to China or the Philippines.
Cohen is claiming that the decision by Dr Gonzalo Stampa previously was intended to compensate the Sulu heirs for relinquishing their purported ‘rights’ over Sabah, valued at nearly US$15bil.
However, with the annulment of that decision, Cohen is contending that the Sulu group is now free to take action against Sabah, either by leasing it to another country or managing their rights without any restrictions.
