Palace confirms Muhriz to skip Malaysia’s rulers council amid tussle over Negeri Sembilan throne

KUALA LUMPUR - Negeri Sembilan ruler Muhriz Munawir will skip the Oct 13 to 15 Conference of Rulers, the latest development in an escalating palace feud in the state that has dragged the federal Malaysian government into a brewing constitutional crisis.

“His Royal Highness has elected not to attend the Conference of Rulers and focus on matters in Negeri Sembilan,” the Negeri Sembilan palace said in a brief statement on Oct 12, referring to the installation of Jelebu’s new territorial chieftain or Undang, on Oct 14.

This confirms The Straits Times report earlier on Oct 12 that the embattled Negeri Sembilan ruler will not be attending the formal meetings on Oct 14 and 15, and will instead preside over the new Undang’s appointment, according to official sources who spoke on condition of anonymity given the sensitivity around royal affairs.

This would give Yang di-Pertuan Besar, or Yamtuan, Muhriz a clear majority in the state’s Dewan Keadilan dan Undang (DKU), the highest authority on the state’s Adat Perpatih, a centuries-old custom governing its feudal hierarchy.

Of the four Undang, empowered under the state’s unique constitution to elect or depose a ruler found unfit to reign, Jelebu will now be the third seen to be loyal to Muhriz.

The appointment gives him more leverage against a coup led by his cousin, Nadzaruddin Ja’afar, who wants to replace him.

Sources with knowledge of the discussions had told ST that the ongoing uncertainty over who is the rightful ruler of the small central state has split the nine state sovereigns over whether Muhriz should attend the upcoming conference of rulers meeting, which will be held at Istana Negara in Kuala Lumpur.

This was the same reason the June enclave was cancelled given concerns over the validity of deliberations if Muhriz was in attendance. But with outstanding issues that must be discussed before the end of the year, including constitutional amendments that the Anwar Ibrahim administration hopes to pass in Parliament, the October edition must go on.

Typically, the nine royal houses are not invited but attend the conference as established members. However, whichever ruler is chairing the conference sends out informal invites to a pre-council the day before formal proceedings.

The Negeri Sembilan palace statement added that Muhriz “did not receive a formal invitation letter from the Conference Chairman, His Royal Highness the Sultan of Perak, to attend the Pre-Council Meeting”.

Nadzaruddin - proclaimed by three former and one current Undang as the new Yamtuan - has aligned himself to the rebel chieftains and UMNO - which reclaimed the state from Anwar’s Pakatan Harapan after forcing snap polls held in August. The bruising crisis has damaged the institution of the constitutional monarchy and left Negeri Sembilan without a functioning government since September.

The Undang proclaimed on April 19 that they have removed Muhriz from the throne but the constitution explicitly requires an inquiry into the Yamtuan’s alleged transgressions. Such a panel was never convened.

Malaysia’s Attorney General has repeatedly stated that Muhriz’s claimed dismissal was unconstitutional and affirmed his legitimacy as Negeri Sembilan’s ruler.

Muhriz has held a public stance against corruption and abuse of power - in particular the appointment of judges - that has sparked murmurs among Malaysia’s elite. These include UMNO leaders who are spearheading the move to pardon former prime minister Najib Razak.

He was due to chair the June conference, at a time when the issue of a renewed pardon bid by former UMNO chief Najib - currently serving a six-year term for graft involving the multi-billion dollar 1MDB saga - was a key talking point among the brother rulers, according to sources close to several royal houses.

Najib was handed a conditional house arrest in September by the Federal Territories Pardons Board chaired by Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar of Johor as Malaysia’s King - a role rotated in five-year terms among the nine monarchs.

Muhriz has so far kept his silence despite the cloud over his legitimacy. However, that he has presided over the removal of three Undang speaks volumes.

“He may make his feelings clear during the appointment of the Jelebu Undang on Oct 14 as it is an opportune time having been affirmed by the Conference of Rulers,” a source close to the Negeri Sembilan palace told ST.

This comes even as Negeri Sembilan UMNO chief Jalaludddin Alias has been forced to deny reports that he plans to oust his party colleague Ismail Lasim as chief minister.

On Sept 17, Ismail claimed that his state Cabinet - formally known as executive councillors or exco - affirmed Muhriz’s removal as Yamtuan based on an April proclamation by the Undang. This is despite Ismail being sworn in as Menteri Besar before Muhriz, the day after UMNO won the Aug 1 snap polls.

Negeri Sembilan chief minister Ismail Lasim, seen here, was sworn in by Muhriz after UMNO won the Aug 1 state election.

PHOTO: BERNAMA

But the state secretary - the top civil servant in the state bureaucracy - has cited the Attorney General’s legal opinion in refusing to gazette the Ismail administration’s decision to unseat Muhriz.

On Sept 20, Muhriz sacked the exco and the bureaucracy subsequently barred them from entering the offices of the executive council.

The Menteri Besar has shifted allegiances between the two claimants to the throne, deepening the palace crisis. He filed two police reports earlier in September, seen by ST, that he was forced to sign a proclamation on Aug 3 that Muhriz was no longer Yamtuan under duress and denying that he supported the dethroning of Muhriz.

UMNO’s key role in deepening the palace crisis flies in the face of the party’s stance that politicians should not interfere with royal matters. It was the principle it invoked when withdrawing support for the previous chief minister Aminuddin Harun, which led to the state assembly being dissolved in June.

They had accused Aminuddin, a vice president in Prime Minister Anwar’s Parti Keadilan Rakyat, of interfering with Negeri Sembilan’s Adat Perpatih when he refused to sign off on the proclamation by the Undang ousting Muhriz.

The belief in UMNO is that having criticised Aminuddin for gainsaying the Undang, the public expects the party to put the matter to bed now that it has taken power in Negeri Sembilan.

Party vice-president Johari Ghani was reported as saying UMNO must clear the air on Negeri Sembilan before the campaign for the Nov 14 Melaka state polls.

“We must explain and tell the public that the parties that wants to sack Muhriz is not UMNO,” he told reporters on Oct 11.