February 22, 2011 16:00 PM
KOTA KINABALU, Feb 22 (Bernama) -- Datu Mohd Akjan Bin Datu Ali Muhammad, who is at the centre of a controversy after being proclaimed Sultan of Sulu here recently, Tuesday announced his resignation from Umno with immediate effect.
He said that his resignation, submitted in a letter to Umno headquarters with a copy to the Sabah office, would save the party the trouble of deliberating on the membership which he had held for more than two decades.
Mohd Akjan said in a statement that police reports and attacks in the media following news of him becoming the 33rd Sultan of Sulu were politically motivated and intended to character-assassinate him.
"I reserve my right to take legal action against this group of individuals and organizations," he said.
Mohd Akjan said that what had been referred to as a coronation was a thanksgiving ceremony held after he accepted the position offered to him by the Sulu interim government which found him to be a direct descendant of the last Sultan of Sulu, Paduka Mahasari Maulana Al-Marhum Shariful Hashim 1.
He said that he had thrice declined to become Sultan of Sulu, and finally agreed after they accepted several conditions -- one of which was that they drop their claim to Sabah.
Mohd Akjan said the acceptance was put into writing and signed at the thanksgiving ceremony.
Mohd Akjan said that he is a Malaysian born in Kudat who loves his country.
He, however, conceded that he would have to give up his Malaysian citizenship before his "actual coronation".
-- BERNAMA
http://www.bernama.com/bernama/state_news/news.php?id=565510&cat=sbe
