THE government has launched a website to disseminate accurate and truthful information on the ongoing legal dispute filed by a Sulu group against Malaysia, in a bid to counter disinformation.

The website, https://www.malaysia-sulucase.gov.my, which was set up by multiple ministries, including the Legal Affairs Division of the Prime Minister’s Department, Foreign Ministry and Communications and Digital Multimedia Ministry, will provide legal case histories from different jurisdictions.

In a statement, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Legal and Institutional Reform) Azalina Othman Said said the website supplies information from verified sources such as historical documents, court proceedings, claimants’ attempts, related articles and government measures.

“It will be an official platform for Malaysians and media practitioners (local and international) to obtain the latest development and facts in the ongoing arbitration dispute,” she said.

“The website will be updated in line with the current development of the ongoing case and can be accessed in five languages – Malay, English, French, Spanish and Tagalog.

“This is to enable various parties and the international media to follow and understand this case through real facts and information presented by the Malaysian government.”

She said the Sulu claimants are seeking to enforce a US$14.9 billion (RM65.8 billion) arbitration award against Malaysia.

She said Malaysia views the arbitration to be invalid and the country does not recognise the Sulu claimants to be the valid descendants of Sultan Jamalul Kiram II.

Last year, national oil company Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) decided to fight the former Sulu sultanate heirs’ asset claims in the Dutch court as they moved to seize the group’s assets in the European country.

The Sulu claimants had earlier taken legal action through the Spanish court to seek compensation for land in Sabah, which they claim was leased by their ancestors to a British trading company in 1878.

Malaysia has been paying the lease since taking Sabah in 1963, but stopped payment in 2013 following an armed incursion in Lahad Datu, Sabah, by forces from Jamalul Kiram.

In February, the bailiffs in Luxembourg attempted to seize two units of Petronas (Luxembourg-based Petronas Azerbaijan and Petronas South Caucasus units) but failed as Malaysia filed its own injunction to quash the court order. – April 12, 2023.