Tuanku Muhriz grants Negeri Sembilan MB audience

Negeri Sembilan menteri besar Ismail Lasim arrived at Istana Hinggap in Seremban this morning for an audience with Yang Dipertuan Besar Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir.

The menteri besar’s vehicle entered the palace compound at around 10.50am, followed by Tuanku Muhriz’s vehicle about 10 minutes later, Utusan Malaysia reported.

Sungai Ujong undang Faris Johari, Rembau undang Hassan Ab Hamid and Negeri Sembilan police chief Alzafny Ahmad were also seen entering the palace.

This comes two days after Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi ordered Ismail to seek an audience with Tuanku Muhriz and the four undangs to find an amicable solution to the state’s ongoing crisis.

Earlier this month, the Negeri Sembilan executive council issued a statement purportedly affirming a proclamation seeking to remove Tuanku Muhriz as Yang Dipertuan Besar. Ismail endorsed the statement a day later.

However, the Attorney-General’s Chambers said the statement was invalid as the menteri besar and exco do not have the authority to make such a declaration. The state secretary also refused to gazette the proclamation.

Tuanku Muhriz later revoked the appointments of the 10 exco members for breaching their oaths of office and pledge of allegiance to the state ruler.

Zahid, the Barisan Nasional chairman, acknowledged their sackings and held a meeting with all 25 Negeri Sembilan assemblymen from BN and Perikatan Nasional on Sunday night to discuss options for resolving the crisis.

Following the meeting, state Umno chief Jalaluddin Alias said the state government must continue to “function as usual”, adding that Ismail’s administration had “various methods” to achieve this.