‘Descendant’ in Sabah willing to accept lump sum payment

A “DESCENDANT of the Sultan of Sulu” has filed leave for judicial review at the High Court, here, seeking a lump sum payment to replace the stoppage of the cession money of RM5,000.

Datu Omarali who contends he is the male descendant of Sultan Syed Abubakar Shariful Hashim, said the Government should consider a lump sum compensation payment to replace the annual cession money of RM5,000 to the heirs of the Sulu Sultanate that was paid since 1939 but stopped following the incursion by the Royal Sulu army in Tanduo, Lahad Datu, in 2013. (Daily Express)

Datu Omarali Bin Bahtiar @ Bachtiyal, who contends he is the male descendant of Sultan Syed Abubakar Shariful Hashim, said the Government should consider a lump sum compensation payment to replace the annual cession money of RM5,000 to the heirs of the Sulu Sultanate that was paid since 1939 but stopped following the incursion by the Royal Sulu army in Tanduo, Lahad Datu, in 2013. 

The application, filed by law firm Messrs Marcel & Co. named the Government of Malaysia as the Respondent which is the successor to the Government of North Borneo. The leave for Judicial Review against the Respondent would be heard on Jan 5, 2023.

Daily Express understands the action is to counter the RM14.92 billion awarded by the Arbitration Court in France filed by another so-called Sulu heir over the stoppage.

The concerns the matter of the grant by Sultan of Sulu to Baron de Overbeck and Alfred Dent dated 22nd January, 1878; in the matter of Civil Suit No.169/39, in the High Court of the State of North Borneo between Dayang Dayang Hadji Piandao Kiram (f) of Jolo, Philippines and eight others versus the Government of North Borneo and Others: in the matter if the Judgment dates 18th December, 1939 of the Right Honourable Charles Frederick Cunningham Macaskie, Chief Justice of North Borneo from 1934 to 1935; in the matter of a letter from the Respondent dated 28th June, 2007 to the Applicant; and in the matter of an award of USD 14.92 billion by sole arbitrator Dr Gonzalo Stampa.

The Applicant is seeking for an order of mandamus against the respondent to implement formalise effectuate and implement paragraph 2 of a letter dated June 28, 2007, namely “Sukacita dimaklumkan bahawa permohonan Y.Bhg Datu bagi mendapatkan suatu bayaran pampasan secara sekali gus (one lumpsum) daripada Kerajaan Malaysia, menggantikan bayaran pampasan secara tahunan sebanyak RM5,000 setahun yang sedang berjalan itu telah diambil maklum oleh MKN.” 

(Pleased to be informed that Y.Bhg Datu’s application to obtain a one lump sum compensation payment from the Malaysian Government, replacing the ongoing annual compensation payment of RM5,000 per year has been taken into account by MKN.)

The applicant also sought a declaration that the paragraph 2 of the letter dated 28th June, 2007 namely “Sukacita dimaklumkan bahawa permohonan Y.Bhg Datu bagi mendapatkan suatu bayaran pampasan secara sekali gus (one lumpsum) daripada Kerajaan Malaysia, menggantikan bayaran pampasan secara tahunan sebanyak RM5,000 setahun yang sedang berjalan itu telah diambil maklum oleh MKN” is valid, lawful and binding between the Respondent and the Applicant.

He also sought a declaration that the Judgment of the Right Honourable Charles Frederick Cunningham Macaskie, in suit no. 169/39 dated 18th December, 1939 between Dayang Dayang Hadji Piandao Kiram (f) of Jolo, Philippines and eight others VS the Government of North Borneo and Others, is valid, binding and lawful between the Respondent and the Applicant. 

The Applicant is seeking damages if any for the breach of the undertaking and the promise by the Respondent in respect of paragraph 2 of the letter dated 18th June, 2007 namely “Sukacita dimaklumkan bahawa permohonan Y.Bhg Datu bagi mendapatkan suatu bayaran pampasan secara sekali gus (one lumpsum) daripada Kerajaan Malaysia, menggantikan bayaran pampasan secara tahunan sebanyak RM5,000 setahun yang sedang berjalan itu telah diambil maklum oleh MKN.”

He also sought for costs and any other relief the Court deemed fit. (Daily Express)