NS ruler crisis won’t derail BN’s Melaka polls preparation, says Tok Mat

The Negeri Sembilan political crisis is not expected to affect Barisan Nasional’s (BN) preparations for next month’s Melaka state election, says Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan.

Mohamad, better known as Tok Mat, said the key was to ensure that strategies drawn up by the party leadership were effectively implemented by its election machinery to secure victory, adding that even the best-laid plans would fail without proper execution, Bernama reported.

“We can draw up an excellent strategy that looks very good on paper… but if we fail to get people to turn out and vote, it means nothing,” he told reporters after officiating an event in Melaka.

Mohamad, who is also a former Negeri Sembilan menteri besar, stressed the importance of translating the party’s plans into action on the ground to ensure its identified supporters turned out to vote.

Negeri Sembilan has been embroiled in a crisis over the position of the state ruler since April when four persons claiming to be undangs, or chieftains, announced the purported removal of Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir as the Yang Dipertuan Besar.

The same disputed undangs also purportedly proclaimed Tunku Nadzaruddin Tuanku Ja’afar as the “new” Yang Dipertuan Besar at a five-star hotel in Melaka in June.

Last month, menteri besar Ismail Lasim endorsed a statement issued by his executive council that purportedly affirmed Tuanku Muhriz’s removal as Yang Dipertuan Besar.

Tuanku Muhriz subsequently revoked the appointments of the entire state executive council citing his authority based on the state constitution.