Anak Nogori Weekly Round-Up (27 July – 2 August 2026)
The DKU declares the 19 April declaration unconstitutional, three Undangs are ruled to have held no valid office, and Barisan Nasional-Perikatan Nasional wins Negeri Sembilan in a landslide.
What happened last week
27 July 2026, Mon: The Undangs and state chieftains filed a notice of appeal against the High Court’s 8 July decision to grant leave for committal proceedings, ahead of the hearing scheduled for the next day (The Edge Malaysia, 27 July 2026).
28 July 2026, Tue: The scheduled committal hearing was adjourned after the six individuals filed for an interim stay, to be heard at the Court of Appeal the following day. Separately, the Dewan Keadilan dan Undang (DKU) and its secretary filed a fresh application for leave to cite the same six individuals for contempt, after earlier attempts to serve the original cause papers proved unsuccessful (FMT, 28 July 2026,The Star, 28 July 2026).
29 July 2026, Wed: The Court of Appeal granted a stay of the committal proceedings pending the outcome of the six individuals’ appeal, and fixed 30 July for case management to set an earliest hearing date (FMT, 29 July 2026).
30 July 2026, Thu: The Court of Appeal set 19 October for case management on the appeal. Separately, the Seremban High Court set 28 September for case management on the DKU’s fresh contempt application.
30 July 2026, Thu: Tuanku Muhriz ordered the revocation of two state honours conferred on former Menteri Besar Rais Yatim, the Darjah Seri Utama Negeri Sembilan (2001) and the Darjah Dato’ Setia Negeri Sembilan (1979), with immediate effect. The Straits Times, reporting the revocation as tied to Rais’s role in the palace crisis, traced that role back to 2022, when it said he encouraged the Undang of Jelebu to style himself “Sultan”, through to 5 June 2026, when Rais proclaimed Tuanku Muhriz’s cousin Tunku Nadzaruddin Tuanku Ja’afar as Yang di-Pertuan Besar at the Melaka hotel event. The paper also reported that Rais had been acting as legal adviser to the Undangs without disclosing the engagement (The Straits Times, 30 July 2026,FMT, 30 July 2026).
31 July 2026, Fri: The DKU convened a special sitting at Istana Besar Seri Menanti, chaired by Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir and attended by the Undangs of Sungei Ujong and Rembau and the Tunku Besar of Seri Menanti, meeting the quorum required under Article 20 of the Negeri Sembilan Constitution 1959. Beforehand, the Datuk-Datuk Lembaga of Luak Jelebu said the sitting was called without proper notice and that the sitting Undang of Jelebu had not been invited (Sinar Harian, 31 July 2026).
1 August 2026, Sat: In an official statement, the DKU said it had received and recorded the Istiadat Menzahirkan Kejadian Undang (installation ceremony) of the new Undangs of Sungei Ujong and Rembau, both held on 27 June 2026, and had received and acknowledged a customary decision by the waris of three Perut in Luak Jelebu to dismiss Maarof Mat Rashad as Undang, effective 31 May 2023, leaving the Jelebu office vacant. The DKU also acknowledged the customary removal of the Dato’ Shahbandar of Sungei Ujong, Badarudin Abdul Khalid, effective 30 July 2026, and said that Mubarak Thahak, the removed Undang of Luak Sungei Ujong, along with Abdul Rahim Yasin and Maarof Mat Rashad, had each, at all material times, ceased to hold or never validly held their respective offices. The DKU further advised that the 19 April declaration was unconstitutional for breaching Article 10 of the Negeri Sembilan Constitution 1959, and confirmed Tuanku Muhriz’s position as Yang di-Pertuan Besar (Malaysiakini, 1 August 2026,FMT, 1 August 2026).
1 August 2026, Sat: Negeri Sembilan held its 16th state election. The Barisan Nasional-Perikatan Nasional alliance won 25 of 36 seats, a two-thirds majority, ending Pakatan Harapan’s two-term hold on the state government. Official results, announced shortly after midnight, gave BN 18 seats, PH 11 and PN 7, on a turnout of 72.64%. Outgoing Menteri Besar Aminuddin Harun lost his seat of Linggi, and DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke lost Chennah. (Malay Mail, 1 August 2026,The Edge Malaysia, 1 August 2026,FMT, 1 August 2026).
1 August 2026, Sat night: Barisan Nasional chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi sought an audience with Tuanku Muhriz at Istana Hinggap and presented an official letter with three names for the post of Menteri Besar, all from Barisan. Zahid said the choice rests with the Ruler’s absolute discretion and that the palace would announce its decision in due course (The Star, 2 August 2026,FMT, 2 August 2026).
2 August 2026, Sun: Juasseh assemblyman Datuk Ismail Lasim, the Kuala Pilah Umno chief, was sworn in as the new Menteri Besar of Negeri Sembilan, taking his oath of office before Tuanku Muhriz at Istana Besar Seri Menanti at 11.29am. He takes over from Aminuddin Harun, who led the state for two terms since 2018 (FMT, 2 August 2026,New Straits Times, 2 August 2026).
Commentary worth reading
2 August 2026: In his titah (royal address) at the Istiadat Pelantikan dan Mengangkat Sumpah Menteri Besar (Installation and Oath-Taking Ceremony of the Menteri Besar), Tuanku Muhriz reminded the newly elected Adun to place the state’s and the people’s interests above political or personal interest, warning that any abuse of power, position or trust would tarnish the institution concerned. His Highness also reminded that Negeri Sembilan needs leaders who have high integrity, uphold dignity and hold fast to principles and noble values, and called on the new Menteri Besar and all Adun to respect the Royal Institution and recognise the authority vested in the Dewan Keadilan dan Undang (FMT, 2 August 2026).
What we are watching for
7 August 2026, Fri: Ismail Lasim’s stated deadline for finalising the new Executive Council line-up, to be presented to Tuanku Muhriz for consent after consultation with the Barisan Nasional leadership. Speaking at his first press conference as Menteri Besar, he said the exco would remain at 10 members and include Perikatan Nasional assemblymen (The Star, 2 August 2026,FMT, 2 August 2026).
The first sitting of the 16th Negeri Sembilan State Legislative Assembly.
28 September 2026: Seremban High Court case management on the DKU’s fresh contempt application.
19 October 2026: Court of Appeal case management on the six individuals’ appeal against the original leave-for-contempt ruling.
Summary
On the constitutional and customary side, Tuanku Muhriz revoked both state honours held by Rais Yatim, the former Menteri Besar whose interventions have run through every stage of the crisis.
Two days later, the DKU issued a statement on the standing of the Undang offices and the 19 April declaration: the new Undangs of Sungei Ujong and Rembau are recorded as validly installed, the Undang of Jelebu is recorded as vacant, and Mubarak, Abdul Rahim Yasin and Maarof Mat Rashad are recorded as having held no valid office at the time they signed the 19 April declaration, which the DKU has now advised was itself unconstitutional.
On the electoral side, the state went to the polls and elected a new government on 1 August 2026. The choice of Menteri Besar, which under Article 36 and Article 38(2)(a) of the Negeri Sembilan Constitution 1959 turns on the Ruler’s judgment of who commands the Assembly’s confidence, fell on Juasseh assemblyman Ismail Lasim. He was sworn in before Tuanku Muhriz on Sunday afternoon.
An interesting point to note is that Juasseh, the new Menteri Besar's seat, lies within the Tanah Mengandung: outside all four Undang territories. Negeri Sembilan's customary geography divides principally into the Luak Berundang (the Undang-governed Luaks of Sungei Ujong, Rembau, Jelebu and Johol) and the Luak Tanah Mengandung, the territories held directly under the Yang di-Pertuan Besar.
As Juasseh lies within the Tanah Mengandung rather than a Luak Berundang, its customary authority runs through the Penghulu Luak to the Yang di-Pertuan Besar, rather than through an Undang.
In a year when the office of Undang is the contested institution, when two Undangs have just been removed, a third found improperly installed, two successors newly installed, and the Jelebu seat left vacant, and the “Undang Yang Empat”1 of the 19 April declaration in open conflict with the throne, a head of government owing customary allegiance to no Undang territory removes a whole category of potential awkwardness.
Footnote:
1 This publication uses the term "Undang Yang Empat" to refer to the four chieftains who signed the 19 April declaration. Mubarak Dohak ceased to hold office as Undang of Luak Sungei Ujong with effect from 13 May 2025. On 31 July 2026 the DKU further acknowledged the removal of Maarof Mat Rashad as Undang of Luak Jelebu with effect from 31 May 2023, and acknowledged that the appointment of Abdul Rahim Yasin as Undang of Luak Rembau was never completed. The removals were conducted under the custom of their Luaks and under Article 16(3), DKU acknowledgement on such questions is final and cannot be challenged in any court.
New posts written by this publication last week
Several Articles in the Reference Library were updated.
What is Article 22? - DKU Minutes
What is Article 26? - His Highness, the Fountain of Honours and Dignities
What is Article 28? - Definition of the Ruler in the Second Part
What is Article 36? - Appointment of Menteri Besar
What is Article 38? - The Executive Council
Who Appoints the Menteri Besar After the Negeri Sembilan Election?
Sources:
Undangs appealing leave for contempt at Court of Appeal (The Edge Malaysia, 27 July 2026)
Fresh contempt bid filed against 6 in Negeri Sembilan dispute (FMT, 28 July 2026)
Court grants stay on contempt proceedings against 6 in Negeri Sembilan dispute (FMT, 29 July 2026)
Datuk Lembaga Luak Jelebu dakwa mesyuarat khas DKU tidak sah (Sinar Harian, 31 July 2026)
3 individu ‘singkir’ Tuanku Muhriz bukan lagi undang ketika itu, kata DKU (FMT, 1 August 2026)
BN-PN claim victory in Negeri Sembilan polls (FMT, 1 August 2026)
DKU isytihar pemecatan Undang Jelebu, Dato’ Shahbandar Sungai Ujong (Malaysiakini, 1 August 2026)
7-term rep Ismail Lasim is 10th Negeri Sembilan MB (FMT, 2 August 2026)
Ismail Lasim sworn in as new Negri Sembilan Menteri Besar, Watch (New Straits Times, 2 August 2026)
Three names submitted for Negri Mentri Besar post (The Star, 2 August 2026)
Zahid leads delegation for audience with ruler (FMT, 2 August 2026)
Tuanku Muhriz titah Adun N Sembilan dahulukan kepentingan rakyat (FMT, 2 August 2026)
About Weekly Round-Ups
Weekly Round-Ups are published every Monday morning. Each round-up covers what happened the previous week, what we are watching for in the week ahead, and links to posts published that week.
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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.
