KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has expressed its utmost concern about any frivolous and vexatious attempts by any parties employing various tactics to undermine and disrupt the course of ongoing criminal proceedings against Gonzalo Stampa (
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Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said the recent guerrilla attempts as observed in the media that the motion filed on Dec 4 were nothing more than the latest charade in the Sulu Fraud, to subvert the rule of law.
"These forms of baseless and desperate moves before the criminal trial of Stampa to exert pressure on the Government of Malaysia, Spanish courts and Public Prosecutor are, as such, should be viewed as an additional fraudulent procedural activity.
"The apparent sole purpose is to interfere and deflect from the ongoing criminal proceedings in Spain against Stampa," she said in a statement here today.
She said Stampa was accused of the suspected criminal offences of serious contempt of court and unqualified practice of a profession.
It was reported that he will face charges in the Madrid Court tomorrow.
Azalina said the Government of Malaysia has the utmost respect for the Spanish courts and their rulings and categorically refutes any media reports that suggest otherwise.
"Throughout this case, Malaysia has acted in order to preserve its rights as a sovereign state in response to consistent egregious activity from the Filipino citizens and their legal representatives.
"The Government of Malaysia has the utmost confidence in the Spanish judicial system in delivering justice to the 32 million Malaysians," she said.
Azalina said the courts of Spain, France and The Netherlands have already confirmed Malaysia’s overall position concerning the Sulu case and regarding the Purported Final Award issued by Stampa on Feb 28, 2022, which condemned Malaysia to pay US$ 14.9 billion.
The Spanish High Court declared the annulment of Stampa’s appointment as arbitrator and ordered him to put an end to the proceedings because his only title to act as arbitrator was null.
Stampa, who collected more than US$2.5 million from the alleged Sulu heirs financed by a litigation funder, Therium, knowingly refused to comply with those orders.
In turn, the courts in France and The Netherlands declared in June 2023 that Malaysia never submitted to arbitration and, therefore, the sham arbitration should have never taken place.
Azalina said that the attempts of the Filipino citizens to enforce the purported arbitral awards issued by Stampa in both France and The Netherlands have also been unsuccessful to date, as a result of the decisions by the courts of these countries.
"These court rulings confirm that, since their very inception, the Sulu fraud and the purported arbitration have been nothing more than a well-fabricated but completely flawed and baseless extortion attempt on the people of Malaysia," she said.
"The Government of Malaysia shall ensure that the sovereignty, security and interest of Malaysia are protected and upheld at all times," she added.
