create tabs with hook_menu() for custom module
You need to define a 'root' path which is a normal menu item, and then add another item for each of the tabs. The first of these will inherit the properties of the root item, and the second will define its own callbacks.

Combined with the MENU_LOCAL_TASK and MENU_DEFAULT_LOCAL_TASK type constants, you should get the tabs you expect:

function social_links_menu() {
  $items['admin/config/system/social_links'] = array(
    'title' =&gt; 'social_links',
    'description' =&gt; 'Configure to fit clients needs',
    'page callback' =&gt; 'drupal_get_form',
    'page arguments' =&gt; array('social_links_settings'),
    'access arguments' =&gt; array('administer site configuration'),
    'file' =&gt; 'social_links.admin.inc',
  );

  $items['admin/config/system/social_links/tab1'] = array(
    'title' =&gt; 'Tab 1',
    'type' =&gt; MENU_DEFAULT_LOCAL_TASK,
    'weight' =&gt; -10
  );

  $items['admin/config/system/social_links/tab2'] = array(
    'title' =&gt; 'Tab 2',
    'type' =&gt; MENU_LOCAL_TASK,
    'page callback' =&gt; 'some_callback',
    'access arguments' =&gt; array('some permission')
  );

  return $items;
}