KUALA LUMPUR, Dec. 10 -- Malaysia has recorded another court victory in its long-running dispute with the purported heirs of the defunct Sulu sultanate, following a fresh ruling that nullifies their US$14.9 billion (about RM66.4 billion) claim against the country.

The Malaysian government's Sulu Special Secretariat War Room announced that the Paris Court of Appeal had yesterday fully annulled or cancelled an arbitrator's order directing Malaysia to pay the US$14.9 billion amount.

"Malaysia trusts that this victory will put an end to all the baseless attempts from the so-called Sulu claimants (and their litigation funder, Therium) to extort money and assets from the people of Malaysia," the secretariat said in a statement today.

"In any...