KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's victory after the Spanish Court found arbitrator Gonzalo Stampa guilty of contempt of court proves the commitment of the unity government under Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to defend the nation's sovereignty.
Lawyer Syed Iskandar Syed Jaafar said the government's efforts to stop Stampa from continuing to harass Malaysia finally paid off when the Spanish Court ruled him guilty, sentencing him to prison.
"Today's victory is proof of the seriousness and commitment of the government under the leadership of Datuk Seri Anwar to defend our nation's sovereignty and dignity," he said.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, through a post on X, said Stampa was sentenced to six months in prison by the Spanish Court after he was found guilty of centempt of court.
The court also imposed on Stampa a ban from practising as an arbitrator for a year.
Echoing the sentiment, lawyer Nizam Bashir said yesterday's verdict is a cause for celebration among Malaysians and it serves as a stern warning to anyone attempting to treat the national treasury as their personal gain.
He said with the decision, it is hoped that the spirit of the people of Malaysia will be fueled to fight corruption and eliminate the actions of any party that wants to steal any national treasure.
"This verdict confirms that Stampa did disrespect the court," he said
Meanwhile, counsel Christopher Leong said the decision was indeed good news for Malaysia in its pursuit to correct and redress an egregious injustice.
"Congratulations to Datuk Seri Azalina and the legal team for Malaysia. It is imperative that there is no let up in the efforts to set aside the impugned arbitration award and to protect the interest of Malaysia," he said. --BERNAMA
