Johor Menteri Besar Mohamed Khaled Nordin today denied an anti-Umno message falsely attributed to the state's sultan.

The message, circulated on social media, carried Johor Sultan Ibrahim Ismail Iskandar's picture with the caption: "The Umno government needs to stop fooling the rakyat through excuses and deceit".

Mohamed Khaled said the Johor sultan had strongly denied making such a statement, according to Oriental Daily .

"His highness asked me to convey this message and I will also seek legal counsel to take action against those who spread these rumours," he was quoted as saying.

Mohamed Khaled said the fake message appear to be an attempt at undermining the relationship between the state government and monarch.