The Umno-Sulu Sultanate Connection

Following several political blogs' publication of his business card, UMNO Youth exco member Lokman Noor Adam today admitted his links to the Sulu sultanate, which has been at the centre of the ongoing violence in the east coast of Sabah.

But Lokman defended his designation as "Advisor to The Crown", saying he was elected to the role by "the real Sulu Sultan".

"I admit I was elected by the real Sulu sultan, Sultan Roodinod, son of Sultan Julaspi Kiram, as his advisor around the year 2005 to deal with the Malaysian government regarding their welfare,” he told news portal The Malaysian Insider.

Earlier, several blogs questioned Lokman's links to the now defunct sultanate, amid allegations by UMNO-controlled traditional media that opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim had a hand in the armed incursion in Lahad Datu.

The blogs published an image of the business card issued by the Shah Alam office of the 'Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo', bearing Lokman's name above the title "Advisor to The Crown".

Lokman, once active in the 'reformasi' movement and who went on to become a Supreme Council member of the now-renamed Parti Keadilan Nasional, is a virulent critic of Pakatan Rakyat and appears frequently on UMNO's ceramah series to condemn Anwar.

Popular blogger 'Tulang Besi' meanwhile pointed out that representatives of the so-called Sulu sultanate had attended the UMNO general assembly and their pictures are already disseminated on social media.