In a statement, law minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said he would head the task force, which will also include foreign minister Saifuddin Abdullah, Attorney-General (AG) Idrus Harun and several international arbitration experts.

He added that his ministry and the Attorney-General’s Chambers were in the midst of drafting the terms of reference or TOR for this task force.

“The government is of the view that this (Sulu descendants’ seizure bid) is a serious issue.

“We will take proactive and aggressive steps in defending our national assets and sovereignty,” Wan Junaidi said.

Earlier this week, The Financial Times reported that a French court had ordered the seizure of assets belonging to Petronas’ subsidiaries.

The seizure was part of legal efforts launched in 2017 by the Sulu heirs claiming compensation for land in Sabah which they said had been leased by their ancestor to a British trading company in 1878.

Petronas said the seizure was “baseless” and was “working vigorously to defend its legal position in this matter”.

Wan Junaidi had also said that the French court order to seize Petronas’ subsidiary assets is not enforceable.

He pointed out that the French Court of Appeal had on July 12 granted a stay of the award which had been issued by Spanish arbitrator Gonzalo Stampa.

Wan Junaidi said this means that the “final award” is not enforceable in any country until a decision is made on the application by Malaysia to cancel it.

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