JOINT MEDIA STATEMENT
DYMM YANG DI-PERTUAN BESAR NEGERI SEMBILAN DARUL KHUSUS
YTM UNDANG YANG EMPAT
YTM TUNKU BESAR TAMPIN
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be upon the master of the messengers, and upon his family and all his companions.
AL-WATHIQU BILLAH, Duli Yang Maha Mulia Tuanku Nadzaruddin ibni Almarhum Tuanku Ja’afar, Yang di-Pertuan Besar Negeri Sembilan Darul Khusus; Yang Teramat Mulia Dato’ Klana Petra Dato’ Mubarak Bin Thahak, Undang Luak Sungei Ujong; Yang Teramat Mulia Dato’ Mendika Menteri Akhirulzaman Dato’ Maarof Bin Haji Mat Rashad, Undang Luak Jelebu; Yang Teramat Mulia Dato’ Johan Pahlawan Lela Perkasa Sitiawan Dato’ Muhammed Bin Haji Abdullah, Undang Luak Johol; Yang Teramat Mulia Dato’ Sedia Raja Dato’ Haji Abdul Rahim Bin Haji Yasin, Undang Luak Rembau; and Yang Teramat Mulia Tunku Syed Razman Bin Syed Idrus Al-Qadri, Tunku Besar Tampin:
WHEREAS We refer to several media reports about two gazette notices. The first gazettes the dismissal of Yang Teramat Mulia Dato’ Klana Petra Dato’ Mubarak Bin Thahak, Undang Luak Sungei Ujong; Yang Teramat Mulia Dato’ Mendika Menteri Akhirulzaman Dato’ Maarof Bin Haji Mat Rashad, Undang Luak Jelebu; and Yang Amat Mulia Dato’ Seri Utama Haji Badarudin bin Abdul Khalid, Dato’ Shahbandar Sungei Ujong. The second gazettes the appointment of several parties claiming to be the new Undang Luak Sungei Ujong, Undang Luak Jelebu and Undang Luak Rembau. Both are said to have been made through a Negeri Sembilan Darul Khusus State Government gazette document dated 26 October 2026.
WHEREAS We affirm that the said gazette is invalid and of no legal effect. It is contrary to the Constitution of the State of Negeri Sembilan (UUTKNS) 1959 and was made to mislead the public. We believe the gazette was also issued without valid approval from the Negeri Sembilan Darul Khusus State Executive Council (MMKN), which is the lawful executive body of the state under Article 35 and Article 40 of the UUTKNS 1959.
WHEREAS We further affirm that a gazette cannot cure and/or finalise any decision that is contrary to the UUTKNS 1959 and defective under Adat. Since 17 April 2026, no valid sitting of the Dewan Keadilan dan Undang Negeri Sembilan (DKU) meeting the quorum requirement under Article 20 of the UUTKNS 1959 has been convened and/or held. This also follows the ad-interim injunction of the Seremban High Court. That injunction restrains the original and lawful members of the DKU under Article 17 of the UUTKNS 1959 from convening and/or attending any DKU sitting. Those members are Yang Teramat Mulia Dato’ Klana Petra Dato’ Mubarak Bin Thahak, Undang Luak Sungei Ujong; Yang Teramat Mulia Dato’ Mendika Menteri Akhirulzaman Dato’ Maarof Bin Haji Mat Rashad, Undang Luak Jelebu; Yang Teramat Mulia Dato’ Johan Pahlawan Lela Perkasa Sitiawan Dato’ Muhammed Bin Haji Abdullah, Undang Luak Johol; Yang Teramat Mulia Dato’ Sedia Raja Dato’ Haji Abdul Rahim Bin Haji Yasin, Undang Luak Rembau; Yang Teramat Mulia Tunku Syed Razman Bin Syed Idrus Al-Qadri, Tunku Besar Tampin; and Yang Amat Mulia Dato’ Seri Utama Haji Badarudin bin Abdul Khalid, Dato’ Shahbandar Sungei Ujong.
WHEREAS under Article 20 of the UUTKNS 1959, the DKU may make no decision and/or give no advice, other than to adjourn, when a sitting lacks quorum. For a sitting to proceed, and for a valid and binding decision under Article 16(3) of the UUTKNS 1959 to be made, at least half the permanent members must be present. That means at least four (4) persons, not including the Chairman. The number of permanent members required to sit, including the Chairman, is therefore at least five (5) persons. The DKU sitting of 31 July 2026 did not meet quorum. Only YAM Tunku Besar Seri Menanti, a lawful permanent member, was present at that sitting. The position of YAM Tunku Muhriz ibni Almarhum Tuanku Munawir was in turn disputed, as he had been deposed by the Undang Yang Empat on 19 April 2026. Accordingly, no valid decision and/or advice on the position of any Undang Luak could be made at that sitting. Indeed, convening the DKU sitting of 31 July 2026 clearly breached the ad-interim injunction order dated 5 June 2026. That order restrains any DKU sitting from being held until the application before the Seremban High Court is disposed of.
WHEREAS We further affirm that YAM Tunku Muhriz’s act of directing the former Secretary of the DKU to gazette the unconstitutional decision and/or advice of the 31 July 2026 DKU sitting is also invalid. YAM Tunku Muhriz had been fully deposed from the throne and could no longer perform the duties of Yang di-Pertuan Besar from 15 September 2026, in line with the official announcement of the MMKN. Raja Norazli’s service as Secretary of the DKU had also been terminated on 17 September 2026 by DYMM Tuanku Nadzaruddin ibni Almarhum Tuanku Ja’afar. Accordingly, neither party has locus standi to direct and/or carry out any gazettement concerning DKU affairs.
WHEREAS We also call on the relevant authorities and media practitioners to act professionally at all times. They should assess all facts and refer to authoritative sources before taking any action or making any public announcement. YAM Tunku Muhriz ibni Almarhum Tuanku Munawir is no longer the Yang di-Pertuan Besar Negeri Sembilan. No valid DKU advice under Article 16(3) of the UUTKNS 1959 has been reached that validates any dismissal of the original Undang Luak and/or any appointment of new Undang Luak in compliance with the UUTKNS 1959. Accordingly, the status quo of the YTM Undang Luak remains as it was before 17 April 2026.
That is all.
Dated 29 October 2026, corresponding to 18 Jamadilawal 1448H.
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Anak Nogori is independent commentary on the unfolding constitutional crisis in Negeri Sembilan, where centuries-old Adat Perpatih, royal succession law, and modern political manoeuvring are colliding in ways Malaysia has never seen before. If you find this useful, share it with someone who should be following this, or subscribe to receive the latest articles in your inbox.
