Stampa will face criminal charges in the Madrid Court on Dec 11.

But Azalina admitted that she was worried about the outcome as Stampa was an influential figure in Madrid.

“His father is a renowned individual who was involved in Spain’s independence,” she was quoted as saying, alluding to Jose María Stampa Braun, on Bernama’s “Ruang Bicara: A year with the Madani government” programme today.

“He was also involved in the revolution and is a lawyer. His father and family are very influential.”

Azalina said she hoped there would not be any pressure on the court as it was clear that Stampa had “broken many laws” in Spain.

She also said she would travel to Spain to follow the trial.

It was reported in June that Stampa, who ordered Putrajaya to pay US$14.92 billion to the self-proclaimed heirs of the Sulu sultanate, would face criminal charges for going against a Madrid court decision to annul the case.

Global Arbitration Review (GAR) reported that authorities in Madrid investigated Stampa in February for continuing to hear the Sulu arbitration despite his appointment being rescinded by the Spanish courts.

Stampa had previously ruled that Malaysia had violated the 1878 agreement between the old Sulu kingdom in the Philippines and a representative of the British North Borneo Company that used to administer what is now Sabah.

Malaysia challenged the arbitration order in France and Spain, with the French court granting a stay order on the award, pending a decision on Putrajaya’s claim that the order infringed on its sovereignty over Sabah.