CONSULTATION will be held with Attorney General on whether the issue of the RM63bil arbitration award to the descendants of the Sultan of Sulu can be debated in Parliament, says Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah.

       He said discussing the matter in the Dewan Rakyat may be sub judice as the matter is still in court, and may have to be discussed with MPs behind closed doors.

       “I will refer to the Attorney General on what can be discussed in the House regarding this issue which Sabah MPs demanded be debated in the Dewan Rakyat.

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

       “In my opinion, if it is a closed-door discussion, it may not be a problem. But I worry if it is to be debated in the House, it may be considered as sub judice to the ongoing trial.

       “Let me ask the Attorney General on what can be debated here and what cannot be raised,” said Saifuddin when winding up his ministerial replies on the Motion of Thanks to the Royal Address.

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

       Isnaraissah, who filed a motion on the matter 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 Parliament.

       Saifuddin said that the claims by the Sulu sultanate heirs do not affect the position of Sabah as a state of the Federation of Malaysia.

       He said Malaysia has stressed on several occasions that it does not recognise and entertain any claim on Sabah.

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

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

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