The death of self-proclaimed Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram in Philippines on Sunday does not end the threat faced by Sabah by Sulu forces claiming rights to the state, Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said today.

"There are about seven other individuals claiming their right to the Sulu sultanate, claiming to be the heirs," he told reporters at the Parliament lobby.

"We can't be complacent because of Kiram's death. We need to continue closely monitoring the situation, " he said.

Ahmad Zahid also hinted that the government believes there are “other hands” behind the Sulu incursion into Lahad Datu in February, thus they will not be taking things for granted.

“We fear that there are other hands behind him, influencing him to come into Lahad Datu, and I have told PDRM to be vigilant,” he said.

He said that although Kiram is dead, there are no guarantees that there will be no actions from his successors.

“Sultan Jamalul Kiram 1 and 2, he does not have any son, so there shouldn’t be anyone coming forward to claim that he is the lineage of that sultan,” he said.