KUALA LUMPUR, February 22 – Several publications are reporting today on a purported attachment of assets attempted in Luxembourg by the self-styled heirs of the Sultan of Sulu against Malaysia and also against Petronas, an independent corporation. Malaysia has not received formal notice of these attachments. Consequently, this office is unable to confirm the correctness or accurateness of these media reports.
If they prove to be true, this would not be the first time that the purported “Sulu heirs” attempt to seize Malaysia’s assets in Luxembourg on the basis of a purported final award rendered by Spanish lawyer whose appointment as arbitrator was nullified by the same court that had initially appointed him without hearing Malaysia. Rather, this alleged new attempt to attach assets would follow a first and failed attachment, which was recently lifted by the Luxembourg courts.
As it has done to date, after it is properly summoned, Malaysia will continue to defend its rights vigorously before the courts in order to ensure that this second attachment (if existent) is also promptly lifted by the Luxembourg courts just as the first attachment was lifted. We remind the public once again that the purported heirs and their counsels are trying to distort the truth before the media, just as they have done before the courts.
This case concerns a genuine arbitral scandal that has undermined the two most fundamental institutions of the rule of law: respecting the law and obeying the courts, and Malaysia will spare no effort in defending its rights.
