What happened last week
19 October 2026, Mon: The Dewan Keadilan dan Undang (DKU) and its Secretary, Raja Norazli Raja Nordin, filed a new contempt application on 15 October. It is the fourth in the Seremban suit over the DKU, and concerns the alleged breach of the 5 June injunction.
The application adds 11 proposed contemnors to the six plaintiffs already facing contempt proceedings. They are the Menteri Besar, Ismail Lasim, and the ten former members of the State Executive Council.
Against the six: public statements and press conferences giving effect to the 19 April proclamation. Three are the previous Undangs Mubarak Dohak, Maarof Mat Rashad and Abdul Rahim Yasin. The others are the Undang of Luak Johol, the Tunku Besar Tampin and the Dato’ Shahbandar of Sungei Ujong.
Against the Menteri Besar and the ten:
the EXCO decision of 15 September
the Menteri Besar’s letter of 17 September to the Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal
the suspension of the State Secretary and State Legal Adviser on 22 September
Case management is fixed for 17 November (Malay Mail, 19 October 2026, Malaysiakini, 19 October 2026, The Edge Malaysia, 19 October 2026, Utusan Malaysia, 20 October 2026).
19 October 2026, Mon: Barisan Nasional chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told the coalition’s 18 state assemblymen to stop interfering in matters involving the DKU. He said they should focus on delivering services. He also hoped the state government and the opposition would keep cooperating while the state has no full EXCO (Malay Mail, 19 October 2026).
20 October 2026, Tue: Tunku Nadzaruddin, the “Undang Yang Empat”¹ and the Tunku Besar Tampin issued a joint statement declaring the dispute over the throne resolved. They called the revocation of the ten EXCO appointments invalid. They also said the Menteri Besar no longer needed an audience with Tuanku Muhriz on state affairs (Malaysiakini, 20 October 2026, Sinar Harian, 20 October 2026).
21 October 2026, Wed: Ten former EXCO members went to the Federal Court on 14 October to file a notice of motion under Article 34(2), which lets a party ask the Federal Court to decide a question on the Constitution. Their main question is whether Article 38(5) allows the Ruler to revoke an EXCO appointment without the Menteri Besar’s advice. They also ask how the meaning of “Ruler” in Article 28(1) bears on that power, and whether the 24 September gazette is valid (Sinar Harian, 21 October 2026, Malay Mail, 21 October 2026, Utusan Malaysia, 21 October 2026).
21 October 2026, Wed: The ten’s Seremban suit came before Justice Roz Mawar Rozain for case management. The State Secretary and the State Government said they would object that the challenge should have been brought by judicial review. The DKU and its Secretary have applied to intervene. The judge said that application must be decided first, and fixed it for 2 November. The objection will be heard on 16 November (Bernama, 21 October 2026, Sinar Harian, 21 October 2026, Utusan Malaysia, 21 October 2026).
21 October 2026, Wed: The Home Ministry said in a written parliamentary reply that the police had sent their investigation paper on the Menteri Besar’s duress claim to the Attorney General’s Chambers on 29 September. The Menteri Besar had told police on 8 September that he was forced to sign the proclamation. Four people have given statements, and the police are awaiting instructions (Bernama, 21 October 2026). No one has been charged.
21 October 2026, Wed: Debating the 2027 Budget in the Dewan Rakyat, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang said the Negeri Sembilan crisis now involved “tangan yang nampak” (a visible hand) instead of a hidden one. He questioned who held power over the EXCO, and called for respect for the constitutional monarchy and the courts (Sinar Harian, 21 October 2026).
21 October 2026, Wed: The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) said it was investigating Badrul Hisham Shaharin, known as Chegubard, over Facebook posts alleged to insult Tuanku Muhriz and the royal family. The investigation is under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998. He gave a statement in Cyberjaya, where a phone and SIM card were seized. Utusan Malaysia reported that he was then detained by Nilai police and released on police bail the same evening (Malaysiakini, 21 October 2026, Utusan Malaysia, 22 October 2026).
22 October 2026, Thu: Negeri Sembilan police began investigating two cases of social media posts suspected of sedition, insult and false claims. A 48-year-old local man was detained to assist, and police were tracing the owner of another account. The cases are under the Sedition Act 1948, Section 504 of the Penal Code and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998. Police cited the Malay Rulers’ statement of 14 October in their notice (Bernama, 22 October 2026, Utusan Malaysia, 22 October 2026).
22 October 2026, Thu: The Menteri Besar denied a China Press report that he had signed a resignation letter. He told Malaysiakini it was “just political games, not true. I did not resign.” (Malaysiakini, 22 October 2026, NST, 22 October 2026).
23 October 2026, Fri: The Federal Court fixed 16 December to hear the ten’s motion. Affidavits are due by 19 November, submissions by 26 November and replies by 1 December. Counsel for the ten said a certificate of urgency had been brought to the Chief Justice’s attention (Bernama, 23 October 2026, The Edge Malaysia, 23 October 2026, FMT, 23 October 2026).
24 October 2026, Sat: Malaysiakini reported on the companies behind TuJu, the navigation app the government has promoted as an alternative to Waze. It named Muhammed Abdullah, Undang of Johol involved in the royal dispute, among the figures linked to the developer, Prosignal Consortium Sdn Bhd. He was previously listed as Prosignal’s group executive chairperson, but his name no longer appears on its website. Malaysiakini said it had contacted his office for comment (Malaysiakini, 24 October 2026).
What we are watching for
27 October 2026, Tue: Rais Yatim’s sedition case returns for mention at the Ayer Keroh Sessions Court. He has pleaded not guilty.
2 November 2026, Mon: The Seremban High Court hears the DKU’s application to intervene in the former EXCO members’ suit.
4 November 2026, Wed: The Court of Appeal is due to decide whether to stay the earlier contempt proceedings against the six, according to Utusan Malaysia. It reserved its decision on 7 September.
16 November 2026, Mon: The Seremban High Court hears the objection that the former EXCO members should have filed a judicial review.
17 November 2026, Tue: The same court holds case management in the new contempt application. The eFiling records also list the DKU suit and its jurisdiction applications, Enclosures 10 and 12.
26 November 2026, Thu: The State Legislative Assembly is due to be opened by the Yang di-Pertuan Besar, with the 2027 budget tabled the next day.
16 December 2026, Wed: The Federal Court hears the former EXCO members’ motion.
Whether the Attorney General’s Chambers acts on the police paper on the Menteri Besar’s duress claim.
Whether the Menteri Besar withdraws his letter to the Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal, as Tuanku Muhriz required. Also whether he proposes a new EXCO. Under Article 38(2)(b), the Ruler appoints between four and ten members on his advice.
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 on 17 April 2026, his removal having occurred under the custom of the Luak and acknowledged by the Dewan Keadilan dan Undang (DKU) under Article 16 of the Negeri Sembilan Constitution 1959. The DKU has since acknowledged the removal of Maarof Mat Rashad as Undang of Luak Jelebu and maintains that the appointment of Abdul Rahim Yasin as Undang of Luak Rembau was never completed. Under Article 16(3), DKU advice on such questions is final and cannot be challenged in any court.
Sources:
Exco statement on Negeri Sembilan ruler has no legal effect, says AGC (FMT, 17 September 2026)
DKU rejects claim Tuanku Muhriz has ceased to be Negeri Sembilan ruler (Malay Mail, 5 October 2026)
Negri Sembilan to proceed with 2027 Budget tabling despite Exco vacancies (The Star, 8 October 2026)
Zahid tells Negri Sembilan representatives to put public welfare first (Malay Mail, 19 October 2026)
Ismail Lasim bakal berdepan tindakan hina mahkamah (Utusan Malaysia, 20 October 2026)
Keputusan batal pelantikan Exco dibawa ke Mahkamah Persekutuan (Utusan Malaysia, 21 October 2026)
Kerajaan Negeri Sembilan bantah saman pemula 10 bekas Exco (Sinar Harian, 21 October 2026)
MCMC siasat Chegubard berhubung hantaran didakwa hina Tuanku Muhriz (Malaysiakini, 21 October 2026)
Nov 2: Hearing Of DKU’s Bid To Intervene In N.Sembilan Exco Case (Bernama, 21 October 2026)
Ismail denies he resigned as MB (Malaysiakini, 22 October 2026)
Ismail Lasim denies reports he will resign as Negri Sembilan MB (NST, 22 October 2026)
Polis Negeri Sembilan siasat dua kes hasutan (Utusan Malaysia, 22 October 2026)
Apex court to hear NS excos’ constitutional challenge on Dec 16 (The Edge Malaysia, 23 October 2026)
Dec 16 hearing for challenge by sacked NS exco members (FMT, 23 October 2026)
Undang, pro-govt rep among figures linked to TuJu developer (Malaysiakini, 24 October 2026)
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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.
