Malaysian Police Open Investigation Of Expert Claims Of Sultanate Of North Sulawesi

Malaysian Royal Police Chief (PDRM) Tan Sri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani in Kuala Lumpur, Saturday (30/7/2022). (ANTARA/Virna P Setyorini)

MALAYSIA - The Malaysian Royal Police (PDRM) has opened an investigation into those claiming to be the heirs of the North Sulawesi Sultanate because they are considered to have taken actions that threaten national security. The head of the Malaysian Royal Police (PDRM) Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani said his party received a report from the Director General of the Legal Affairs Division (BHEUU) of the Prime Minister's Department (JPM) regarding a group of plaintiffs. The plaintiffs claimed to be the heirs of the North Sulawesi Sultanate. The report was made following the plaintiff's claim through an arbitration notice submitted to the Malaysian government on July 30, 2019, with an estimated claim of more than 32 billion US dollars or around Rp479,486 trillion. "This claim is a threat to national security," he said in Kuala Lumpur, quoted from Antara, Tuesday, May 30. He said PDRM through the Bukit Aman Secret Criminal Investigation Unit (USJT) had opened an investigation file under Article 124 (K) of the Criminal Code regarding sabotage. PDRM takes every element that can disrupt public order seriously, especially acts of sabotage against the security, sovereignty, and stability of the state and guarantees that it will investigate the matter in detail, he said. Local media reported that the Sulu Group had filed a lawsuit at the Spanish Court asking for compensation for land in Sabah. The plaintiffs claimed that the land was leased by their ancestors to a British trading company in 1878. On February 28, 2022, Arbiter Dr. Gonzalo Stampa is said to have made the final decision in the form of compensation to the prosecution amounting to 14.92 billion US dollars or around Rp. 223.768 trillion. However, a court in France has suspended it pending a judicial decision over Malaysia's actions to rule it out. The suspension action was based on the consideration that the enforcement could threaten Malaysia's sovereignty over the Sabah region.