Keputusan exco tiada kesan, Tuanku Muhriz kekal Yang Dipertuan Besar, kata DKU

The State Council of Laws and Legislation in Negeri Sembilan has affirmed today's exco statement that the demotion of Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir from the throne on April 19 is legally valid. The crucial point, however, is that such an action falls outside the purview of state authority, according to the DKU. The matter of Malay traditions, including the selection, appointment, removal, and punishment of the Yang Dipertuan Besar, is solely within the control of the state, as per Persekutuan XVI of the State Institutions Act 1959.

Exco emphasized that Tuanku Muhriz remains the valid Yang Dipertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan and therefore has no vacant position or successor. The statements from the exco did not have any legal impact, except to confirm the demotion of Tuanku Muhriz, affirm the election of the new Yang Dipertuan Besar, and initiate his administration.

The statement from today, therefore, is neither illegitimate nor valid. Meanwhile, Raja Norazli confirmed DKU's acceptance of the exco's statement asserting the demotion of Tuanku Muhriz on September 15. This claim aligns with the principle that determining the validity of a proclamation requires a proper legal process, including judicial review, as outlined in Persekutuan XVI of the State Institutions Act 1959.

The proclamation of April 19, which removed Tuanku Muhriz, remains invalid, as no judicial review was conducted, and three out of four signatories of the proclamation did not hold the required position at the time. The State Council's resignation from fulfilling the role of reinstating the throne is clear. Any proclamation for the selection of a new Yang Dipertuan Besar based on the same basis and signed by individuals who do not hold the necessary position is also legally invalid and lacks legal impact.

According to this reasoning, the prerogative of the State Council's Four Prerogatives can only be executed by the state itself, following the rules and procedures stipulated by the State Institutions Act 1959. Consequently, government officials should not act on instructions to remove Tuanku Muhriz from the throne, as such an action contradicts the State Institutions Act and the directives of the Council.