KUALA LUMPUR, March 9 -- A self-styled group named United Tausug Citizens (UTC) People of the Sultanate of Sulu has asked the Malaysian government for an immediate payment of US$15 billion in "Cession Money" and recognition of UTC as a sovereign and independent "State Kingdom".

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said the UTC group, which claims to be the rightful custodians of the Sultanate of Sulu Territory, further threatened to commence legal action against Malaysia in the United States.

"This represents the latest frivolous and baseless attempt by a group to claim sovereignty over Malaysian territory and to extort unfounded payments from Malaysia.

"Malaysia is s...