What Led to the Negeri Sembilan Crisis? The Timeline Explained

Apr 25, 2026

What Happened Before April 19, 2026?

To understand the crisis, it is essential to understand what happened before the dramatic declaration of April 19.

The Removal of Mubarak Dohak

On 17 April 2026, the Dewan Keadilan dan Undang (DKU) — the highest authority governing the four Undang — convened a special sitting at Istana Besar Seri Menanti at 10am. Tuanku Muhriz personally presided, invoking Article 24 of the Negeri Sembilan Constitution 1959.

At that sitting, the Ibu Soko Klana Hulu and Waris Klana Hulu were formally invited to attend — a procedurally significant step under Article 24. The DKU was then presented with 33 grounds for the removal of Mubarak bin Dohak as Undang Luak Sungei Ujong.

The DKU advised the acceptance of Mubarak’s removal, in accordance with the adat of Luak Sungei Ujong and consistent with Article 14(3) of the Negeri Sembilan Constitution 1959. This was confirmed in an official media statement by Menteri Besar Aminuddin on the same day.

Importantly, the removal was not a sudden decision. Official statements confirmed that the Telaga Undang and Waris Klana Hulu had actually decided to remove Mubarak as far back as 13 May 2025 — nearly a year before the April 2026 DKU sitting. The DKU special sitting on 17 April 2026 merely advised and accepted that earlier adat decision. This is significant — it means the case against Mubarak had been building for almost a year before it became public.

The Declaration Removing Tunaku Muhriz as Yang di-Pertuan Besar

On 19 April 2026 — just two days after Mubarak’s removal — Mubarak, along with the other three Undang, staged a public declaration at the Balai Undang Luak Sungei Ujong. The event was livestreamed on the official Luak Sungei Ujong Facebook page. No questions were taken. No specific misconduct against Tuanku Muhriz was named. No proclamation signed by the Menteri Besar was produced.

Two declarations were read:

That Tuanku Muhriz was removed as Yang di-Pertuan Besar on grounds of misconduct
That Tunku Nadzaruddin ibni Almarhum Tuanku Ja’afar was installed as the new Yang di-Pertuan Besar

The declaration was witnessed by Datuk Syahbandar Sungei Ujong, Datuk Baharudin Abdul Khalid.

Critically, no specific misconduct was named against Tuanku Muhriz. The declaration cited only Article 10(1)(b) of the Negeri Sembilan Constitution as the constitutional basis.

The State Government’s Response Rejecting the Declaration

In the early hours of 20 April, Menteri Besar Aminuddin issued a statement firmly rejecting the declaration. He stated that the state government did not recognise or accept the move, on the grounds that Mubarak had already been removed as Undang and therefore held no authority to participate in or read the declaration. The MB further stated that the action contravened Articles 10 to 12 of the Negeri Sembilan Constitution 1959.

This was not without precedent — the MB noted that the 14th Undang Luak Johol, Datuk Mohammad Jan Abdul Ghani, was similarly removed on 27 March 2016 on 13 offences relating to pesaka and adat.

What Happened Next: A Cascade of Counter-Claims

What followed the declaration was not a principled constitutional argument. It was a cascade of escalating counter-claims, each one more legally untenable than the last.

First, Mubarak’s camp argued that his removal was invalid because two of the Dato’-Dato’ Lembaga who participated in the DKU sitting had themselves been previously dismissed for misconduct. Therefore, they claimed, the DKU was not properly constituted, and everything that followed was void.

This argument collapses under scrutiny. The DKU sitting of 17 April was presided over by Tuanku Muhriz himself, invoking Article 24 of the Negeri Sembilan Constitution. The Ibu Soko Klana Hulu and Waris Klana Hulu were formally present. More fundamentally, Article 16 of the Negeri Sembilan Constitution explicitly states that DKU decisions “shall be final and shall not be challenged or called in question in any court on any ground.” The Undang cannot unilaterally declare a DKU decision invalid simply because they disagree with the outcome.

Second, the Undang’s camp called for the dismissal of Menteri Besar Aminuddin, claiming his role in the DKU sitting and his rejection of their declaration warranted his removal from office.

This claim has no constitutional basis whatsoever. The Menteri Besar is an elected official of the state government, appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Besar on the advice of the state legislature. He is not subject to removal by the Undang Yang Empat. The Undang have no constitutional power over the office of the Menteri Besar.

And even if one accepts for the sake of argument that Mubarak’s removal was procedurally flawed, none of this gives him the right to sign a declaration two days later purporting to remove the ruler of the state. A person who believes they have been wrongly dismissed has legal remedies available. Declaring the ruler removed on Facebook Live is not one of them.

Summary: What This All Means

Step back and look at the full picture.

Mubarak was removed for 33 violations of adat and syariah, in a process that had been building for nearly a year, presided over by the ruler himself, with the Ibu Soko present, following the constitutional framework to the letter.

Two days later he signed a declaration purporting to remove that same ruler, without naming a single specific offence, without any constitutional process, without the Menteri Besar’s signature, and without the Ibu Soko’s mandate.

When the government rejected this, his camp claimed the people who removed him should themselves be removed. When the MB stood firm, they called for his dismissal too. When legal experts pointed out the declaration was constitutionally invalid, they insisted the experts were wrong.

The pattern is consistent: everyone who disagrees must be delegitimised, removed or declared invalid. The ruler. The DKU. The Dato’-Dato’ Lembaga. The Menteri Besar. The Ibu Soko. The legal community.

At some point, the more parsimonious explanation is not that every institution, official and legal expert in Negeri Sembilan is wrong. It is that the declaration itself was wrong from the beginning, and everything since has been an attempt to paper over that fundamental fact.

The football analogy is apt. A player shown a red card does not get to declare the referee fired, appoint a new referee, and continue playing. The game does not work that way. Neither does the Negeri Sembilan Constitution.

Detailed Timeline

29 December 1993 Mubarak Dohak appointed as the 10th Undang Luak Sungei Ujong.

27 December 2008 Tuanku Ja’afar passes away. Throne of Negeri Sembilan becomes vacant.

29 December 2008 The Undang Yang Empat choose Tuanku Muhriz ibni Almarhum Tuanku Munawir as the 11th Yang di-Pertuan Besar — passing over Tunku Naquiyuddin, eldest son of Tuanku Ja’afar.

27 March 2016 Precedent set — the 14th Undang Luak Johol, Datuk Mohammad Jan Abdul Ghani, removed by the DKU for 13 offences relating to pesaka and adat. This confirms the process used against Mubarak is not unprecedented.

19 January 2024: Undang of Johol appointed director of MSZ REE Sdn. Bhd., a company whose name includes REE, the standard industry abbreviation for Rare Earth Elements.

21 November 2024 NREE Holdings (M) Sdn. Bhd. incorporated in Pulau Pinang.

29 November 2024 Undang of Jelebu Datuk Maarof Mat Rashad signs an official letter on Balai Undang Luak Jelebu letterhead granting rare earth mining prospecting rights to NREE Development Sdn. Bhd. in Mukim Kenaboi, Jelebu — explicitly bypassing the state Land and Mines Office (PTG).

30 October 2024: Undang of Johol appointed director of Undang Holdings Sdn. Bhd., a company bearing his own traditional title in its name.

18 January 2025 SSM records show the Undang of Jelebu becomes a 20% shareholder in NREE Holdings (M) Sdn. Bhd., listed at the Balai Undang Luak Jelebu address.

13 May 2025 Telaga Undang and Waris Klana Hulu of Luak Sungei Ujong formally remove Mubarak Dohak from his hereditary position as Dato’ Klana Petra. This decision — made nearly a year before the public crisis — means all of Mubarak’s decisions from this date are considered invalid under adat.

20 November 2025 Shareholding changes in NREE Holdings — Tan Hock Yee exits the company entirely.

14 January 2026 Tuanku Muhriz delivers a public speech expressing shock and disappointment at parties who continue supporting individuals convicted of serious corruption charges.

4 March 2026: Undang of Johol Datuk Muhammed bin Hj Abdullah is appointed director of World Gold Mining and Trade Holdings Sdn. Bhd. This is 46 days before the declaration against Tuanku Muhriz.

18 March 2026 The Undang of Jelebu quietly exits NREE Holdings entirely, transferring all 20 shares out. Total shareholding: zero. This is 32 days before the declaration against Tuanku Muhriz.

1 April 2026 A meeting is held at Telaga Undang Sungei Ujong regarding Mubarak’s removal.

17 April 2026 — 10:00am Dewan Keadilan dan Undang (DKU) convenes a special sitting at Istana Besar Seri Menanti. Tuanku Muhriz personally presides, invoking Article 24 of the Negeri Sembilan Constitution 1959. The Ibu Soko Klana Hulu and Waris Klana Hulu are formally invited to attend. All 33 grounds for Mubarak’s removal are presented to the full DKU. The DKU unanimously advises acceptance of Mubarak’s removal under Article 14(3) of the Negeri Sembilan Constitution 1959.

17 April 2026 — evening Menteri Besar Aminuddin issues official media statement confirming Mubarak’s removal.

18 April 2026 Mubarak’s supporters — Dato’-Dato’ Lembaga Adat Sungei Ujong — issue a statement claiming he is still the legitimate Undang. The counter-narrative begins.

19 April 2026 — approximately 6:15pm Mubarak, along with Undang of Jelebu, Johol and Rembau, stage a public declaration at the Balai Undang Luak Sungei Ujong, livestreamed on the official Luak Sungei Ujong Facebook page. Two declarations are read: (1) Tuanku Muhriz is removed as Yang di-Pertuan Besar, and (2) Tunku Nadzaruddin ibni Almarhum Tuanku Ja’afar is installed as the new ruler. No specific misconduct against Tuanku Muhriz is named. The declaration is witnessed by Datuk Syahbandar Sungei Ujong Datuk Baharudin Abdul Khalid.

20 April 2026 — early hours Menteri Besar Aminuddin issues a firm statement rejecting the declaration. He states it cannot be accepted or recognised as Mubarak no longer holds any authority as Undang, and the action contravenes Articles 10 to 12 of the Negeri Sembilan Constitution 1959.

20 April 2026 Police issue a public warning against spreading content that touches on the 3R sensitivities — Race, Religion and Royalty — in connection with the crisis.

20 April 2026 Telaga Undang Sarifah Norzaidah Al-Qadri — the Ibu Soko Klana Hulu — issues a statement confirming she never gave Mubarak a mandate to make the declaration. She sides firmly with Tuanku Muhriz.

21 April 2026: The Undang's camp issues a counter-argument claiming Mubarak's removal was invalid because two of the Dato'-Dato' Lembaga who participated in the DKU sitting had themselves been previously dismissed. Legal experts dismiss this argument — Article 16 of the Negeri Sembilan Constitution makes DKU decisions final and unchallengeable in any court. Former Court of Appeal judge Datuk Seri Mohd Hishamudin Yunus notes that even if the DKU process was flawed, this does not retroactively legitimise the declaration against Tuanku Muhriz.

21 April 2026: In an escalating sequence of claims, the Undang's camp goes further — asserting not only that Mubarak's removal was invalid and that the Dato'-Dato' Lembaga who participated should themselves be removed, but that the Menteri Besar Aminuddin should also be dismissed from his position for his role in the DKU sitting and his subsequent rejection of their declaration.

22 April 2026 State secretary’s office confirms the DUN opening will proceed as scheduled. Multiple legal opinions begin emerging from constitutional lawyers firmly rejecting the validity of the declaration.

22 April 2026: Three days after signing the declaration against Tuanku Muhriz, and while the constitutional crisis is in full public view, the Undang of Johol is appointed director of South Mineral Sdn. Bhd.

23 April 2026 — morning Former Court of Appeal judge Datuk Seri Mohd Hishamudin Yunus publishes opinion in The Edge identifying three grounds of invalidity. Malik Imtiaz Sarwar publishes in FMT concluding there is no constitutional crisis.

23 April 2026 — 10:00am Tuanku Muhriz opens the first sitting of the fourth session of the 15th Negeri Sembilan State Legislative Assembly at Wisma Negeri. All four Undang and Tunku Besar Tampin boycott — the first such absence in 17 years. Tuanku Muhriz delivers his royal address, stating the absence of dignitaries does not affect the validity of proceedings.

23 April 2026 — afternoon SSM e-Info document on NREE Holdings extracted from public record, revealing the full shareholding history including the Undang of Jelebu’s entry and exit.

24 April 2026 Prime Minister states the crisis should be resolved according to state laws. The Conference of Rulers has not publicly intervened.

26 April 2026 Crisis remains unresolved. Tuanku Muhriz continues as the recognised Yang di-Pertuan Besar. The declaration has no legal standing. The standoff continues.