Exco ‘decision’ has no legal effect, says Negeri Sembilan DKU

The executive council press statement issued by Negeri Sembilan yesterday carries no legal weight and should not be acted upon by civil servants, according to the Negeri Sembilan Dewan Keadilan dan Undang (DKU). The DKU's statement reaffirmed that Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir remains the state's Yang Dipertuan Besar, and that the ultimate authority to appoint or remove the ruler lies with the DKU, as per the Negeri Sembilan constitution.

The press release, which purported to confirm Tuanku Muhriz's removal and the selection of a new ruler, falls outside the jurisdiction of the state executive council and contradicts decisions made by the DKU. Consequently, the statement is deemed unconstitutional, invalid, and carries no legal effect. State government officers are not obligated to act upon any directives from the statement or the September 5 proclamation by the four purported undangs.

The matter is currently under scrutiny in the High Court in Seremban, and all parties are urged to respect the legal process. On September 16, members of the Negeri Sembilan executive council announced via a statement that Tuanku Muhriz's removal in April was valid and that Tuanku Nadzaruddin Tuanku Ja’afar was the new ruler of Negeri Sembilan.

This proclamation was echoed by several of the council members on their social media platforms, though the statement's validity has been questioned by Ismail Lasim's office and lawyer Rosli Dahlan, who questioned if Lasim endorsed the document.