KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 20 — As he lied dying, self-proclaimed Sulu “Sultan” Jamalul Kiram III had ordered his supporters to press on with efforts to “repossess” Sabah for the Filipino people, a spokesman said today.

In dispelling the possibility such efforts will die with Kiram, the self-styled sultanate’s spokesman Abraham Idjirani told Quezon City-based radio channel dzBB Radio that the order was one of the last made before the former’s death.

“(His third decree was) not to waive the objective to repossess Sabah for the sake of the Filipino people,” said Idjirani as reported by online news site GMA News, which shares the same parent company with dzBB Radio.

“Isulong at ituloy ang mission, dapat maibalik ang Sabah sa Pilipinas (Kiram decreed that the mission to repossess Sabah should continue) for the sake of the Filipino people,” he said in Tagalog.

According to Idjirani, Kiram’s two other dying decrees were for his brothers to get closer, and for his family to unite.

Kiram died early this morning, according to his daughter Jacel Kiram-Hassan, who revealed in a radio interview with dzBB Radio that her father died from multiple organ failures due to kidney problems.

“My Appah, Sultan Jamalul Kiram III, has returned to our Creator at around 4 in the morning October 20, 2013. Thank you for your prayers and support,” Jacel said in a Facebook post this morning, referring to her father.

It was also reported that Kiram had been confined in the Philippine Heart Center since Thursday.

In March, around 200 of Kiram’s followers occupied Kampung Tanduo in Lahad Datu, and entered into gunfights with Malaysia’s security forces in a standoff which lasted weeks.

The Sulu gunmen were led by Agbimuddin Kiram, Kiram’s brother and heir apparent.

Over the course of the standoff, 68 people were reported dead, including nine from Malaysia’s security forces, and six civilians.

Idjirani also gave his support for the self-styled Sulu sultanate’s claims over Sabah during the Aidiladha celebration on Tuesday, after a snub by the Benigno Acquino III’s administration.

“The claim of the Sultanate of Sulu over Sabah through the Government of the Republic of the Philippines is now abandoned by the Philippine government,” Idjirani told online news site Manila Standard Today from Kiram’s residence in Maharlika Village, Taguig City.

“In view of that, the Sultanate is compelled to pursue independently the claim, acting on its historic and legal rights over Sabah.”

He had also claimed that the sultanate’s forces has now swollen to 1,600-strong, backed by volunteers from Muslim rebel group Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).

According to Idjirani, the Sulu forces are maintaining a defensive stand by avoiding any further clashes with Malaysia’s security forces.

“The continued presence of Raja Muda in Sabah is now the Sultanate’s assertion by itself of their sovereign and proprietary rights over the territory,” he said, referring to Agbimuddin.

The self-proclaimed Sultanate of Sulu had laid claim to Sabah, saying it had merely leased North Borneo in 1878 to the British North Borneo Company for an annual payment of 5,000 Malayan dollars then, which was increased to 5,300 Malayan dollars in 1903.

Sabah, however, joined Malaya, Sarawak and Singapore to form Malaysia in 1963, after which Malaysia continued paying an annual stipend of RM5,300 to the Sulu sultanate on the basis of the sultanate ceding the Borneo state.

In April, it was reported that Kiram met with Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma asking to raise his clan’s woe to the attention of then newly-minted Pope Francis for Vatican’s help with his claims over Sabah.