Negeri Sembilan MB endorses exco statement on ruler

Negeri Sembilan menteri besar Ismail Lasim has endorsed the statement issued by his executive council yesterday, purportedly affirming Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir’s removal as Yang Dipertuan Besar.

Speaking to reporters after an event in Seremban, Ismail confirmed that his exco made the decision unanimously when it convened on Tuesday.

The menteri besar added that the state secretary had been asked to proceed with gazetting the proclamation on Tuanku Muhriz’s removal “according to the relevant regulations”.

He declined to take questions from reporters.

Yesterday, members of the Negeri Sembilan exco issued a statement affirming that Tuanku Muhriz’s removal in April was legitimate and that Tuanku Nadzaruddin Tuanku Ja’afar was the new ruler of Negeri Sembilan.

Lawyer Rosli Dahlan questioned the validity of the statement, asking if Ismail had endorsed the document, while Pakatan Harapan assemblymen said it appeared to contradict the menteri besar’s statement a day earlier.

The Negeri Sembilan Dewan Keadilan dan Undang (DKU) said the statement was unconstitutional, had no legal effect and did not need to be acted on by state government officers.

The DKU maintained that Tuanku Muhriz remained the state’s Yang Dipertuan Besar, and that it had the ultimate authority to decide on the appointment or removal of the state ruler, as per the Negeri Sembilan constitution.

It also said the matter was before the High Court in Seremban and urged all parties to respect the legal process.

This morning, Tuanku Muhriz’s lawyers accused the state government of staging a coup by declaring the ruler’s removal, saying that yesterday’s statement breached the interim injunctive orders issued by the High Court on June 5.

They said they intended to commence contempt proceedings against the state government for breaching the injunctions.