Rep: Set up RCI to address Sulu sultanate claims

Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy has echoed an Umno leader’s call to set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to address claims by the descendants of the Sulu sultanate.

“I quite agree with Umno vice-president (Mohamed Khaled Nordin) that the proper approach should be by way of setting up an RCI.

“An RCI might be an effective mechanism (which would) not just address the exorbitant claims made by the descendants, but also examine the entire matter of why the sovereignty of Sabah remains in question.

“An RCI can critically examine the demands of the descendants of the Sulu sultanate over Sabah,” said Ramasamy (above).

The Perai state assemblyperson also said in a statement today that a case as important as the claims on Sabah merits an RCI to answer questions, including:

1. Why was there a need to cut off the annual payments to the claimants in 2013?

2. Why was an arbitration process set in motion?

3. Why did the arbitration mechanism fail to address and resolve the problems emanating from the curtailment of the annual payments?

“An RCI will allow the government to get to the bottom of the matter pertaining to the sovereignty of Sabah.

“Was this the fault of the BN or Pakatan Harapan government?” he added.

Petronas assets seized

This comes after it was reported that the heirs of the Sulu sultanate were able to seize two Luxembourg-incorporated subsidiaries of Malaysian oil giant Petronas.

According to previous reports, the claimants seized Petronas Azerbaijan (Shah Deniz) and Petronas South Caucasus, reportedly worth US$2 billion.

The heirs of the Sulu sultanate are also claiming US$14.92 billion (RM62.59 billion) from Malaysia.

In his statement, Ramasamy described the seizure as a very serious matter and that it questioned the sovereignty of Sabah, a principal territory in Malaysia.

”It is obvious that the assets were seized by the claimants as part of their larger and more fundamental claim on the sovereignty of Sabah.

“The matter of seizure could have been temporarily set aside through the intervention of lawyers acting on the behest of Malaysia and Petronas.

“However, the fact remains that heirs are claiming more than RM60 billion from Malaysia for the loss of Sabah,” he said.

Govt formed a task force

The seizure has resulted in the government forming a task force led by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.

The task force’s purpose is said to be to scrutinise, monitor, and draft a plan based on existing legal provisions to address the issue of claims made against Malaysia by purported heirs of the Sulu sultanate.

“I think that the setting up of a task force by the government might be a poor response to address the claims by the descendants of the Sulu sultanate,” said Ramasamy.

In his statement, he also confessed there is a lack of clarity regarding the claims to Sabah.

“When it comes to the claims over Sabah by the descendants of the Sulu sultanate, the matter seems to be shrouded in mystery.

“Even though Sabah is an integral part of the Federation of Malaysia, the claims by the descendants of the Sulu sultanate remain unresolved.

“The fact that Malaysia was paying a yearly stipend to the descendants until its cessation in 2013 seems to be an implicit recognition of the claims made,” said Ramasamy.

The DAP man also brought up various pending questions he has surrounding this issue.

“Why was this not resolved at the time of the formation of Malaysia? Was this a recognition that Malaysia is yet to resolve the question of sovereignty over Sabah?

“Or was it an admission that the sovereignty of Sabah might not be contested?” he questioned. - Mkini