Negeri Sembilan MB to face no-confidence vote?

Negeri Sembilan Umno is considering a motion of no confidence against menteri besar Ismail Lasim in the upcoming state assembly meeting, according to a source.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said state Umno chief Jalaluddin Alias, the Pertang assemblyman, would table the motion.

“The decision now rests with the central Umno leadership,” the source told FMT.

The source said a new state executive council line-up could also be announced if the move went ahead.

FMT has reached out to Jalaluddin for comment.

The state assembly is scheduled to sit again on Nov 26, having been postponed from Oct 16 to coincide with the tabling of the state’s 2027 budget the following day.

State assembly speaker Awaludin Said had previously said he had not received any formal notice of a no-confidence motion against Ismail, adding that he would not allow even an emergency motion to remove the menteri besar.

Ismail was sworn in as menteri besar on Aug 2 following the state election, in which Barisan Nasional won 18 seats, Pakatan Harapan 11 and Perikatan Nasional seven.

His tenure has since been marred by a constitutional crisis over attempts to remove Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir as the Yang Dipertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan.

He reportedly signed a proclamation seeking to remove Tuanku Muhriz on Aug 3. After it was made public on Sept 8, Ismail said he signed the document under duress and lodged a police report.

The Negeri Sembilan exco members on Sept 15 issued a statement claiming that Tuanku Muhriz’s removal in April was legitimate, and that Tunku Nadzaruddin was, therefore, the new ruler.

Ismail subsequently endorsed the exco’s statement and ordered the state secretary to proceed with gazetting the proclamation.

Tuanku Muhriz has since revoked the appointments of the 10 excos except Ismail. In turn, earlier this week, the 10 former exco members filed a legal challenge in court seeking to declare the revocation invalid.

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