Resign if you don’t recognise Tuanku Muhriz – Loke tells NS Exco

DAP Secretary-General Anthony Loke has challenged the legal foundation of Negeri Sembilan State Executive Council (Exco) members' decision to acknowledge a proclamation removing Tuanku Muhriz as the reigning Ruler of Negeri Sembilan and to accept a successor without delay. The Seremban MP decried the decision as legally invalid and suggested it may be considered a form of treason against the reigning monarch.

In a recent statement, Loke underscored that an Exco decision cannot arbitrarily disregard the Laws of the Constitution of Negeri Sembilan 1959 or the interpretations of the Dewan Keadilan dan Undang.

Loke questioned the Exco's authority to take such actions, urging them to first comprehend the relevant legal provisions and their respective authority scope before making assertions about the reigning Ruler's position. He also pointed out that certain newly appointed Exco members might not have attended a State Legislative Assembly session while serving in their Exco roles.

If such conduct had transpired when Negeri Sembilan was under the Pakatan Harapan administration, Loke alleged that critics would have vehemently condemned it.

According to Loke, the Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan cannot be summarily removed without following the legitimate procedures outlined in the Laws of the Constitution of Negeri Sembilan. He contended that the proclamation's announcement caused confusion and diminished state administrative decorum and the dignity of the Yang di-Pertuan Besar's office.

Loke cautioned that the Exco members had only recently sworn their oaths of office in early August, and if they no longer acknowledged Tuanku Muhriz as the Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan, they ought to resign from their positions as a matter of principle and dignity.

DAP reiterated its commitment to preserving parliamentary democracy, constitutional monarchy, and the primacy of the law and the dignity of the royal institution. Loke emphasized that these principles should not be compromised for personal or political gain.