Solve the Succession Crisis in Sulu First

Being a Wikipedia editor trying to improve the entries of both the Sultanate of Sulu and of its lists of sultans, I have noticed that there are numerous claimants to the throne, each claiming to be the "legitimate" claimant. Nearly all of the claimants are descendants of Sultan Esmail Kiram I who ruled from (1950 - 1974). A distinctive "division" occurred after Datu Punjungan Kiram was stripped of his title. Because he fled from the Philippines shortly before President Marcos declared Marial Law, his nephew succeeded him and was crowned as Sultan in 1974.

The Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines published this genealogical chart.

I have realized that there are numerous claimants to the Sulu Sultanate. Oo. Napakaraming nag-aangkin ng trono ng Kasultanan ng Sulu (Sultanato ng Sulu). Ito'y buhat nang mapatalsik sa trono si Sultan Jamalul Kiram I noong panahong Amerikano. Dahil dito ang mga inapo nang Sultan ang hinirang bilang mga tagapagmana ng trono. Ngunit sa paglaon ng panahon, dumami ang mga nagaangkin sa trono dahil sa kawalan ng maayos na sistemang tatalakay sa paraan ng pagmamana ng trono.

Ever since the beginning of the 2013 Lahad Datu standoff perpetrated by Filipino intruders led by Raja Muda (Crown Prince) Agbimuddin Kiram, my interest in learning more about the historical Sulu Sultanate began. I learned that Jamalul Kiram III was actually proclaimed as "interim sultan" by the elders of the sultanate after the untimely death of Marcos-proclaimed Sultan Mahakuttah Kiram (reigned 1974-1984). Although Sultan Mahakuttah had a formal successor by the name of Muedzul Lail Tan Kiram, the latter failed to ascend to the throne because of his age. (Sadly, he was 20 years old by the time his father died. A sultan can only be crowned if he is above 21 years old. Sayang! So close....) After Raja Muda Muedzul became eligible to the throne, his uncle Jamalul Kiram III refused to abdicate the throne - causing a rift between the two sultans.

Jamalul Kiram III, the son of former crown prince Datu Punjungan Kiram, boldly sent his own appointed Raja Muda to occupy Lahad Datu. Although I consider this as a "temporary" re-conquest of Sabah, his method of forcibly occupying the village was somehow too much. If I were the sultan, I would have left the village a day after Malaysia's deadline. This is to show (and prove) that

• the intentions of Sultan Kiram III is peaceful
• the Sultan has around 300 armed and unarmed "Royal Security Forces" ready to fight for their rights if provoked
• the Sultan is now ready to re-assert their territorial claim to Sabah

However, Kiram III's firmness in not leaving Malaysia would soon irritate and infuriate his Malaysian enemies. Instead of the people of Sabah being (or potentially being) good friends of the Sultan, the subsequent skirmishes and gun battles angered the people of Malaysia.

What if Kiram III did succeed in retaking Sabah? What about the other claimants to the throne like Muedzul Kiram and Fuad Kiram? Is the Sulu Sultanate ready to reemerge from obscurity? The answer to the last question, in my opinion, is a big NO.

The Sulu Sultanate has yet to fix their internal issues first before rising once more as a political entity (hopefully under the Republic of the Philippines). The rift between Jamalul Kiram III (and his coregent Esmail Kiram II), Fuad Kiram and Muedzul Lail Tan Kiram must first be mended before they try to reassert their territorial rights. How can other nations look at you as a sovereign state if your sultanate is divided?

I certainly believe a referendum sponsored by the Philippine government should be held to finish this succession crisis once and for all. Also, the current PH Constitution should be amended to allow the Sultan to be legally recognized as well. (The current PH constitution does not allow any PH citizen to hold a title of nobility.) If the Sultanate's leadership crisis is solved, it would allow it to rise once more. Behold the Royal Sultanate of Sulu Dar al-Islam!