KUALA LUMPUR: The Attorney General will be consulted on whether the issue of the RM63bil arbitration award to the descendants of the Sulu sultanate can be debated in Parliament, says Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah.

       The Foreign Minister said bringing up the issue in the Dewan Rakyat might contradict the sub judice rule, as the matter was still in court and that the matter might have to be discussed behind closed doors with MPs.

       Saifuddin said he would be referring to the Attorney General to know what can be raised in the House regarding the issue, which Sabah MPs had demanded be debated in the Dewan Rakyat.

       "I understand the importance of this issue. Many times, Yang Berhormat (MPs from Sabah) had stood up to raise the matter.

       "I think if it is a closed door discussion, it may not be an issue but I worry if it is to be debated in this august hall, it may be sub judice to the ongoing trial.

       "Let me refer this matter to the Attorney General and see how far this matter can be discussed in the Dewan Rakyat.

       "Let me ask what can be debated and what cannot, what can be raised or otherwise," said Saifuddin when winding up his ministerial replies on the motion of thanks in Dewan Rakyat on Monday (March 14).

       Earlier, Sabah lawmakers Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis (Warisan-Kota Belud) and Datuk Darrell Leiking (Warisan-Penampang) demanded for the issue to be debated in the Dewan Rakyat.

       Isnaraissah, who filed a debate motion on the issue last week said the RM62.59bil arbitration award issued by the French arbitration court to the Sulu sultanate’s descendants was not a trivial matter and must be taken seriously by the House.

       Saifuddin added that the Sulu sultanate heirs’ claims did not affect the position of Sabah as a state of the Federation of Malaysia.

       He said Malaysia had many times stressed that it did not recognise and entertain any claim on Sabah, which had been recognised by the United Nations (UN) and the international community as among those which established the Federation of Malaysia on Sept 16, 1963.

       "It must be emphasised that the government of Malaysia is not keeping quiet but has taken several measures to stop the claim proceeding," he said.

       Previously, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law), Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the government did not recognise the claim and arbitration relating to the payment order of RM62.59bil to the heirs of the Sulu Sultan.

       This was in view of the appointment of the arbitrator, Dr Gonzalo Stampa, which had been annulled and was no longer legally valid.