Sabah CM: Paris court ruling proves Sulu claims baseless, affirms state’s sovereignty
KOTA KINABALU, Dec 11 — Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor has hailed the Paris Court of Appeal’s decision to annul the US$14.9 billion (about RM66.4 billion) ‘Final Award’ in favour of the self-proclaimed Sulu claimants as a decisive ruling and a significant victory for Malaysia.
Hajiji reiterated the Sabah Government’s firm stand in defending the state’s sovereignty within the Federation of Malaysia, stressing that the state government would never entertain such claims.
“The decision of the Paris Court of Appeal once again vindicated Sabah’s stand all this while,” he said in a statement here yesterday.
The Chief Minister was responding to the statement issued by the Sulu Special Secretariat War Room, which acts on behalf of the Malaysian Government.
The Court’s ruling, issued on December 9, concluded that the arbitrator, Gonzalo Stampa, lacked jurisdiction and further established that no valid arbitration agreement bound Malaysia to the proceedings.
Hajiji said the Sabah Government remained strongly committed to continuing its close collaboration with the Federal Government to quash any future claims that may arise.
“We also express our gratitude to the Federal Government for their hard work in defending Sabah’s sovereignty,” the Chief Minister said, emphasising the unified effort to protect the state’s integrity within the Federation. — Bernama