KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 31 — Record-holding lodger of police reports Abdul Rani Kulup has defended his acceptance of a “datukship” from the self-professed “sultan” of Malacca, saying he did so to gauge if the claimant to the defunct sultanate was genuine.

Rani also explained he was simply accepting an award that he was invited to receive, after he triggered controversy by posting photographs of the “investiture” ceremony on Facebook earlier this week.

“The issue is simple, Ayah’s meeting him has a hidden meaning. One, to accept the award, and another, to know if he is really the sultan or not; that is all,” Rani said; “Ayah” is his preferred third-person reference to himself.

Rani also sought to distance himself from the allegations of insanity that Malacca Chief Minister Datuk Seri Idris Haron aimed at Noor Jan Tuah, who goes by Raja Noor Jan Shah Tuah, saying that he met all manner of people in his life.

Idris yesterday derided the claimant as insane or “living in a world of his own”, when asked to comment on the award conferred to Rani that purportedly carries the title “Datuk Paduka”.

“If they want to give me an award or title, Ayah will just accept.

“But meeting a person labelled as crazy doesn’t mean Ayah is also crazy. For instance, Ayah meeting Umno people doesn’t mean Ayah is an Umno person,” Rani told Malay Mail Online.

Rani said he was also shown documents that “acknowledged” Noor Jan’s claim to the defunct throne, including those purportedly endorsed by the International Court of Justice.

Idris previously said the documents were fabricated and false.

Perak-born Noor Jan was previously arrested over his claim to the Malacca throne, and police are investigating him under the Sedition Act.

The last recognised Malacca Sultan was Sultan Ahmad Shah in the 1500s.

Malacca no longer has a royal house and is headed by an appointed state governor, currently Tun Mohd Khalil Yaakob.