Game of Thrones or Game of Uno (Or Should We Say UMNO)

How an attempted royal constitutional coup became a political game in just eight days.

May 01, 2026

When the “Undang Yang Empat”¹ declared Tuanku Muhriz removed on the evening of 19 April 2026, the commentary on social media was almost immediate. Commentators and ordinary Malaysians watching the events unfold called it a Game of Thrones moment: a medieval power struggle dressed in adat, played out in a Facebook and WhatsApp-era world.

But by the end of April, the drama had become something rather different. Less royal intrigue. More party politics. Less Westeros. More UMNO.

The Timeline

13 May 2025. The removal of the previous Undang Mubarak Dohak as Dato’ Klana Petra of Luak Sungei Ujong took effect. The removal originated from within his own luak, from the Telaga Undang and the Waris Klana Hulu, citing breaches of religious and customary law.

18 March 2026. The Majlis Dato Lembaga Adat Sungei Ujong publicly stated on Facebook that the ex-Undang Mubarak had violated syarak, citing two specific matters: conducting Friday prayers at home with a congregation of only four to seven people, and an alleged alteration of a marriage certificate.

17 April 2026. A special sitting of the Dewan Keadilan dan Undang (DKU) was convened. The DKU acknowledged the consensus of the Telaga Undang and Waris Klana Hulu of Luak Sungei Ujong, formally removing the ex-Undang Mubarak under Article 14(3) of the Negeri Sembilan Constitution 1959. Under Article 16 of the same constitution, DKU proceedings are final and cannot be challenged in any court.

17 April 2026, evening. Menteri Besar Aminuddin issued an official media statement confirming Mubarak’s removal.

19 April 2026. Two days after the DKU sitting, the ex-Undang Mubarak and three other Undang gathered at the Balai Undang Luak Sungei Ujong and read a declaration purportedly deposing Tuanku Muhriz as Yang di-Pertuan Besar, naming Tunku Nadzaruddin Tuanku Ja’afar as the 12th Yang di-Pertuan Besar. The declaration cited Article 10(1)(b) of the Negeri Sembilan Constitution 1959 but named no specific allegation, produced no evidence, and disclosed no inquiry conducted.

Social media reacted with a mix of shock, disbelief, and dark humour. Game of Thrones references filled the feeds. The throne room. The lords in council. The coup in the great hall.

20 April 2026. The Menteri Besar countered. Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun formally rejected the declaration, stating the state government did not recognise or accept it. He confirmed that the ex-Undang Mubarak no longer held any authority as Undang Luak Sungei Ujong, that the declaration contravened Articles 10 to 13 of the Negeri Sembilan Constitution 1959, and that the DKU was the highest authority governing the Undang.

21 April 2026. The Undang’s camp countered back. They claimed the ex-Undang Mubarak’s removal was invalid because two of the Dato’-Dato’ Lembaga who participated in the DKU sitting had themselves been previously dismissed. Legal experts rejected this argument. Article 16 of the Negeri Sembilan Constitution makes DKU decisions final and unchallengeable in any court. Former Court of Appeal judge Datuk Seri Mohd Hishamudin Yunus noted that even if the DKU process was flawed, this could not retroactively legitimise the declaration against Tuanku Muhriz.

Then the Undang’s camp counter-escalated further, asserting not only that the Dato’-Dato’ Lembaga who had participated in the DKU sitting should themselves be removed, but that Menteri Besar Aminuddin should also be dismissed for his role in the sitting and his rejection of their declaration.

23 April 2026. Tuanku Muhriz opened the Negeri Sembilan State Legislative Assembly in full ceremony. The ex-Undang Mubarak received no invitation. None of the Undangs attended, , and neither did Tunku Besar Tampin.

27 April 2026. The Game of Thrones became a Game of UMNO. All 14 Barisan Nasional assemblymen announced they had lost confidence in and withdrawn support for Aminuddin. UMNO’s Negeri Sembilan chairman Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias linked the move directly to Aminuddin’s handling of the royal crisis. Perikatan Nasional (PN), holding five seats, offered to cooperate with BN (all UMNO). A combined BN-PN bloc would hold 19 of 36 seats. Pakatan Harapan (PH) Communications Director Datuk Fahmi Fadzil described the move as a betrayal and a backdoor attempt to take over the state administration.

28 April 2026. UMNO president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi chaired an emergency UMNO Supreme Council meeting. The state chapter and the central leadership were no longer reading from the same page.

29 April 2026. UMNO’s Political Bureau issued a statement acknowledging the assemblymen’s loss of confidence while stopping short of endorsing a new government. It called for urgent talks with Pakatan Harapan (PH) under the Unity Government MOU. The same day, the Negeri Sembilan State Secretary’s Office served the ex-Undang Mubarak with a letter directing him to vacate the official residence and Balai Undang Luak Sungei Ujong with immediate effect.

30 April 2026. UMNO reversed again. Ahmad Zahid met the 14 assemblymen in Putrajaya and announced that all 14 had agreed to remain within the framework of the unity government. He told Cabinet he opposed any backdoor government formation. Transport Minister Anthony Loke described the situation as stable.

30 April 2026. All 14 assemblymen from Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) in Negeri Sembilan have agreed to continue supporting the state Unity Government to ensure political stability

Analysts were critical. Azmil Tayeb of Universiti Sains Malaysia said the proposed BN-PN alliance had been seen as unpopular and opportunistic. Ahmad Zaharuddin Sani Ahmad Sabri of Global Asia Consulting said UMNO had been eyeing the Menteri Besar post but lacked a serious strategy. A third analyst noted the binding constraint: the Yang di-Pertuan Besar would not entertain an audience for the formation of a new government.

Move, Counter, Reverse

Like a game of Uno, the timeline shows the removal of an Undang, a declaration purporting to remove the Yang di-Pertuan Besar, countered by a rejection from the Menteri Besar, countered by a challenge to the DKU's validity, followed by an attempt to remove the Menteri Besar, countered with the alleged illegal removal of the Undang thrown back into the frame, followed by UMNO's no-confidence vote, which was then “corrected” by the UMNO president.

“Withdrawing support is ongoing, but we remain with the Unity Government in Negeri Sembilan.
“This is a matter that must be reinterpreted so that there is no wrong perception or misinterpretation on it.
“So, I would like to correct the perception that needs to be corrected,”
- Umno President, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi

If the events have your head spinning, rest assured, you're not the only one.

In the end, who gets to play the winning card remains to be seen.

Footnote:

This publication uses the term “Undang Yang Empat” to refer to the four chieftains who signed the 19 April declaration. However, Mubarak Dohak of Luak Sungei Ujong was removed from his position by the Dewan Keadilan dan Undang on 17 April 2026 under Article 14(3) of the Negeri Sembilan Constitution 1959, two days before the declaration was signed. Under Article 16, DKU decisions are final and unchallengeable in any court.