KUALA LUMPUR: A special task force will be formed to monitor and formulate appropriate legal action to address the claims by the purported heirs of the Sultan of Sulu against the Malaysian government.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (parliament and law) Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, who will lead the team, said the task force would comprise the Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah, Attorney-General Tan Sri Idrus Harun, and international arbitration-related experts.
"The Legal Affairs Division (BHEUU), together with the AG's Chambers is determining the terms of reference as well as additional membership if necessary for this task force.
"BHEUU and the Foreign Ministry will act as the secretariat of this special task force," he said in a statement today.
Wan Junaidi said the government took any matter that undermined the interests of the country's assets abroad by the purported heirs of the Sultan of Sulu seriously, especially assets under government-linked companies.
"Therefore, the government will take proactive and aggressive measures in tackling this issue to defend assets and the country's sovereignty," he added.
The Financial Times reported that two Petronas Luxembourg-registered subsidiaries, Petronas Azerbaijan (Shah Deniz) and Petronas South Caucasus, were seized on Monday after a March ruling by a French arbitration court that Malaysia has to pay the descendants at least RM62.59 billion.
The seizure of the holding companies, reportedly valued at about RM8.87 billion, was part of legal efforts by the purported heirs, who back in 2017 sought compensation for land in Sabah, which they claimed their ancestor had leased to a British trading company in 1878.
The arbitration was initiated by the heirs and successors-in-interest of Sultan Jamalul Kiram II against the Malaysian government through international arbitration proceedings in Madrid, Spain.
On July 12, the Paris Court of Appeal allowed the Malaysian government's application to stay the enforcement of the Final Award on claims by parties claiming to be heirs and successors-in-interest to Sultan Jamalul Kiram II.