Kuala lumpur: Malaysia has successfully won an appeal against the claimants of the defunct Sultanate of Sulu, nullifying a $14.9 billion award that had been previously granted by a court in Madrid in 2022, as reported by the state-run news agency Bernama.

According to Anadolu Agency, the Paris Court of Appeal annulled the 'Final Award' issued by Spanish arbitrator Gonzalo Stampa and ordered the claimants to pay Malaysia £200,000 in legal costs. The court ruled that Stampa lacked jurisdiction over the matter and there was no valid arbitration agreement binding Malaysia to the award.

The Sulu Special Secretariat War Room released a statement expressing confidence that this legal victory would deter the Sulu claimants and their litigation funder, Therium, from making further unfounded attempts to extract money and assets from Malaysia. The statement also emphasized Malaysia's commitment to defending itself against future legal challenges posed by the Sulu claimants.

The Paris Court of Appeal had previously refused to recognize or enforce the award in 2023, a decision that was subsequently upheld by the French Supreme Court in 2024. The case originated from eight Filipino nationals, who claimed descent from the Sulu Sultanate, seeking arbitration in Spain against Malaysia. They argued that Sabah, a region currently part of Malaysia, historically belonged to their sultanate and was only leased to Malaysia.