What happened last week
31 August 2026, Monday: Tuanku Muhriz presided over the state-level National Day celebration as Yang di-Pertuan Besar, received on arrival by Menteri Besar Ismail Lasim, at an event attended by more than 30,000 attendees (Bernama, 31 August 2026).
4 September 2026, Friday: The UMNO Negeri Sembilan liaison body (BPUNS) held its meeting Bil 2/2026. In a statement dated the following day, it pressed for a Special Committee (Jawatankuasa Khas) to be established to resolve adat matters in the state, in what it described as accordance with proper adat procedure (UMNO Negeri Sembilan media statement, 5 September 2026). This proposal can be read two ways: as a route toward resolving the succession questions through custom, or as a means of moving those questions onto a political body and away from the Dewan Keadilan dan Undang (DKU), whose role in advising on questions of Malay custom sits under Article 16.
5 September 2026, Saturday: The Undang Yang Empat1 camp, together with the Tunku Besar Tampin and the removed Dato’ Shahbandar Sungei Ujong, issued a media statement claiming that Menteri Besar Ismail Lasim signed the proclamation required by Article 10(2) on 3 August 2026. The statement also alleged that the Undang Yang Empat’s1 agreement to remove Tuanku Muhriz was constitutionally complete on 19 April 2026 and directed the State Secretary and the state administration to comply with the proclamation immediately. The signed proclamation was not published with the statement (Malaysiakini, 6 September 2026).
6 September 2026, Sunday: Menteri Besar Ismail Lasim responded in a media statement. He described the group’s views as “hak mereka” (their right), before reaffirming the taat setia (loyalty) of himself and the State Government to Tuanku Muhriz as Yang di-Pertuan Besar. The statement did not say whether he had signed the 3 August proclamation (Malay Mail, 6 September 2026).
What we are watching for
Ongoing: Whether the alleged 3 August proclamation is produced, and whether the DKU or the state administration responds to the 5 September statement’s instruction to the State Secretary and the state administration to act on the proclamation at once.
On the horizon: Court proceedings resume later in the month:
28 September 2026: Case management before the Seremban High Court in the contempt proceedings, where the DKU and its secretary are seeking to have six individuals cited for contempt.
7 October 2026: Parties in WA-25-201-07/2026 return before Judge Norliza Othman to state whether the judicial review continues in Kuala Lumpur or moves to Seremban. The pending intervention applications stand over to the same date.
19 October 2026: The Court of Appeal’s next date in the six’s appeal against the grant of leave for contempt proceedings.
New posts written by this publication last week
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, a removal the DKU acknowledged on 17 April 2026. On 31 July 2026 the DKU further acknowledged that Maarof Mat Rashad had been removed as Undang of Luak Jelebu with effect from 31 May 2023, and that the appointment of Abdul Rahim Yasin as Undang of Luak Rembau was never completed. Removal of an Undang is a customary act of the Luak, which the DKU acknowledges under Article 16 of the Negeri Sembilan Constitution 1959; under Article 16(3), the DKU’s advice on such questions is final and cannot be challenged in any court.
Sources:
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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.
