by AFIQ HANIF / pic by Bernama

MINISTER in charge of law and institutional reforms, Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said (picture) called for the Sulu claimant to pay the costs over decisions made by several European Courts dismissing their cases.

She said the government would be on the offensive to go against the claims made by the so-called Sulu heirs — in response to the Sulu claimant lawyer Paul Cohen who had announced he will file another claim at another European court.

“The guarantee of this government is that we will fight to the end. But while fighting, I want the costs to be paid first. You talk like a hero but pay the cost first.

“We will not stop and we will not compromise to any blackmail by any countries or any individuals out there, whether Malaysian or not.

“You tell him (Cohen) if you want to fight, then fight fairly. Don’t jump from jurisdiction to jurisdiction,” she said in a press conference at the Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC) headquarters in Kuala Lumpur on Friday.

Cohen earlier said the fight is “far from over” despite the Dutch Court of Appeals recent decision to nullify the final arbitration award to the Sulu claimants.

Cohen reportedly said they have other avenues to pursue, such as mounting an appeal to the Dutch Supreme Court.

The claimants initially sought arbitration in Spain after Malaysia ceased an annual payment of RM5,300 to the Sulu sultanate in 2013. This came after the Lahad Datu incursion in the same year.

Azalina said while itis the claimants’ right to pursue this case in the various jurisdictions, she questioned the need to keep “foreign shopping” when the legal processes have not been completed in the other countries.

“By jumping (jurisdictions), it is very obvious that you don’t want the truth to be told,” she said.

However, she said Malaysia intends to follow all legal procedures in fighting the cases against the claimants.

Azalina also said that the government is in the process of finding out the mastermind behind the whole case representing the eight claimants.

She said right now the government had traced some of the network to fund their claims based in the US.

“I’m thankful to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and also the Cabinet members for agreeing to the strategy to use local and international media,” she said.

Azalina also said that the government would organise a series of colloquiums to spread fact-based information about the case around the country, including one in London, UK.

“It’s not a desperate defence but it is the right defence,” she said.

Since last year, the claimants have been attempting to enforce the final award in France, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands by seizing Malaysian assets.

Apart from the Dutch courts, the French courts have also dismissed the claimants’ bid to enforce the final award in France.

Azalina previously said the Dutch court recognised Stampa’s annulment as an arbitrator and thus, invalidated all of his procedural acts.