The DKU Secretary Has Not Been Suspended. So Why Is the Press Reporting That He Has?
Article 25 reserves the appointment and removal of the DKU Secretary to the Yang di-Pertuan Besar alone, so a suspension declared by six signatories, one removed, carries no constitutional effect.
Since 29 May 2026, a faction of adat office-holders issued a press release announcing the suspension of Raja Norazli Raja Nordin, the Secretary of the Dewan Keadilan dan Undang (DKU), as suspended.
Mainstream media have reported, almost without exception, that statement.
“Negri royal crisis: DKU secretary suspended indefinitely, says Undang of Jelebu” - (The Star, 29 May 2026)
‘Kami amat murka’ - Undang Luak berempat gantung tugas setiausaha DKU - (Malaysiakini, 29 May 2026)
[VIDEO] Krisis Negeri Sembilan: Enam pembesar adat murka, gantung tugas Setiausaha DKU - (Sinar Harian, 29 May 2026)
DKU secretary suspended for failing to convene special meeting - (NST, 29 May 2026)
The framing has appeared in in headlines and in social media posts, and it has settled quickly into the default shorthand for what happened on 29 May.
There is one constitutional problem with this framing: the people who announced the suspension hold no power to impose it.
What the Constitution reserves to the Yang di-Pertuan Besar
Article 25 of the Negeri Sembilan Constitution 1959 provides that the Secretary is appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Besar and holds office “during His pleasure.” The power to suspend or remove him is the obverse of the power to appoint, and it rests in the same hand. On this publication’s reading, an announcement by members who do not hold that power does not by itself vacate the office, and Raja Norazli continues to hold it unless the Yang di-Pertuan Besar decides otherwise.
Why the distinction matters
A declared suspension and an effective one are different things. What the headline framing leaves in the background is that the announcement may carry no constitutional effect, because the office was never theirs to touch. A reader who sees “DKU Secretary suspended” is invited to conclude that the post has changed hands, when the better reading is that an attempt was made and the holder remains in place.
The body that issued the announcement is itself contested. The six describe themselves as the majority of the DKU, yet one of them, the removed Undang of Sungei Ujong, Mubarak Dohak, holds no DKU seat, his removal having taken effect on 17 April 2026 under the custom of the Luak and acknowledged by the DKU under Article 16. Whether this group could suspend a Secretary, appoint a committee, or convene a sitting at all is examined in full, provision by provision, in the companion piece below.
Read Next: Can Negeri Sembilan’s Ruling Chiefs Suspend the DKU Secretary and Convene Their Own Sitting?
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Sources:
The Laws of the Constitution of Negeri Sembilan 1959 (Negeri Sembilan State Government), 1959
‘Kami amat murka’ - Undang Luak berempat gantung tugas setiausaha DKU (Malaysiakini), 29 May 2026
DKU secretary suspended for failing to convene special meeting (NST), 29 May 2026)
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.
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.