Lawyer wants chief secretary to act against Negeri Sembilan secretary

The lawyer representing Tengku Nadzaruddin Tuanku Ja’afar has urged the Negeri Sembilan executive council to push for disciplinary action to be taken against state secretary Zafir Ibrahim for refusing to gazette a proclamation on the state ruler’s purported removal.

Emirul Sarifudin Nor Azmi, who is also representing the four purported undangs and Tunku Besar Tampin, accused Zafir of committing misconduct by refusing to gazette the proclamation as ordered by the Negeri Sembilan executive council.

Emirul claimed the state secretary was overstepping his bounds and barring the purported new ruler, Tengku Nadzaruddin, from executing his constitutional powers.

“Based on these offences, I urge the exco to ask the chief secretary to the government to commence disciplinary proceedings against Zafir and to transfer him from his position as state secretary,” he said in a statement.

On Thursday, menteri besar Ismail Lasim endorsed a statement issued by his exco that purportedly affirmed Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir’s removal as Yang Dipertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan.

He said the state secretary had been asked to proceed with gazetting the proclamation “according to the relevant regulations”.

However, the state secretary’s office said it will not proceed with gazetting the proclamation, given the Attorney-General’s Chambers’ view that the proclamation dated April 19 was invalid and unconstitutional.

Emirul argued that the views of the AGC were merely an opinion, not a binding order.

“What’s binding on the state secretary is the exco’s executive decision,” he said.