Exco members should resign if they no longer recognise Tuanku Muhriz, says Loke

DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook has called for Negeri Sembilan executive council members to resign if they no longer recognize Tuanku Muhriz as the state's Yang Dipertuan Besar. The Seremban MP argued that the exco members took their oaths of office before Tuanku Muhriz in early August, and hence, if they no longer recognize his authority, they should resign their positions.

Loke also noted that many exco members were new to their roles and may not have fully grasped the legal provisions and sources of their authority. He urged them to study these aspects before making statements related to the state's reigning ruler.

On April 19, the Negeri Sembilan executive council affirmed Tuanku Muhriz's removal and declared Tuanku Nadzaruddin Tuanku Ja’afar as the new ruler. This decision was endorsed by Menteri Besar Ismail Lasim, who stated that it was made unanimously during the exco meeting on Tuesday. The state secretary was then tasked with gazetting the proclamation according to the relevant regulations.

However, the Negeri Sembilan Law and Parliament Committee (DKU) has separately stated that the exco's decision lacks legal effect and that Tuanku Muhriz remains the legitimate Yang Dipertuan Besar. Loke questioned the authority of the exco to affirm the April 19 proclamation, suggesting that it cannot supersede the state constitution or the resolutions of the DKU.

He emphasized that the Yang Dipertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan cannot be removed without a valid process outlined in the Laws of the Constitution of Negeri Sembilan.