‘I am not resigning’: embattled leader digs in as Malaysia royal crisis deepens

Embattled Negeri Sembilan chief minister Ismail Lasim has denied claims that he has resigned, as a constitutional crisis in the Malaysian state spiralled further following a move by his executive council to challenge their sacking by the state’s ruler in court.

The state has been all but paralysed by a dispute that began in April over who has the right to sit on Negeri Sembilan’s throne, bringing down a state government aligned with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s ruling Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition and leaving Ismail with no administrative support.

Ismail’s standing came under further question after he was publicly rebuked last week by state ruler Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir, who was caught on camera telling the chief minister to “go away” and drop his claim that the monarch no longer held the throne.

The chief minister, however, dismissed reports of his resignation as “political games” being played by certain parties.

“It is not true. I am not resigning,” he was quoted as saying by local English daily New Straits Times on Friday, following an earlier news report claiming that he was stepping down to make way for a replacement.

Reports that Ismail had quit surfaced on Thursday, further complicating a crisis centred on an attempt to replace Muhriz with his cousin, Tunku Nadzaruddin Tuanku Ja’afar.

The state’s four territorial chiefs, known as the Undangs – who are empowered to elect the state’s ruler – issued a proclamation in April stating that Muhriz was to vacate the throne for allegedly breaching his royal duties. Federal legal authorities, however, said the claim failed to meet constitutional requirements due to a lack of evidence.

Leaders from Ismail’s Umno party later withdrew support for the then PH-led state government, accusing it of disrespecting the royal mandate by failing to implement the Undangs’ proclamation.

The move triggered a state election, which Umno won.

Ismail, who was sworn into office before Muhriz in August, has since given conflicting accounts of his role.

On September 9, he said he had signed the proclamation under duress, lodged a police report and maintained that the document was invalid.

Eight days later, he confirmed that his executive council had unanimously backed the decision and instructed the state secretary to proceed with its formal publication.

He reportedly wrote to the Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal on September 17 to tell the country’s nine royal houses that Muhriz was to be replaced by Nadzaruddin.

In retaliation, Muhriz decreed on September 20 that all 10 members of Ismail’s executive council were sacked with immediate effect for failing to uphold their oath of office, which requires them to remain loyal to the ruler and the royal institution.

The councillors filed a legal challenge with the country’s apex court on October 14, seeking to overturn their dismissal. They are asking the court to determine whether their sacking was constitutional, failing which the ruler’s decision should be declared null and void.

Their case adds to a growing legal quandary tied to the royal tussle.

In July, the Seremban High Court instructed the four Undangs and two others to answer contempt allegations raised by the Dewan Keadilan dan Undang (DKU) – the state’s highest customary council.

On October 15, the DKU filed a fresh application for contempt proceedings against 17 individuals, including Ismail and his 10 state executive councillors.