Lawyer wants chief secretary to act against Negeri Sembilan secretary

On Friday, the Negeri Sembilan state secretary's office declined to gazette a proclamation, citing the Attorney-General's Chambers' view that the document dated April 19 was invalid and unconstitutional. The lawyer representing Tengku Nadzaruddin Tuanku Ja’afar has called on the Negeri Sembilan executive council to take disciplinary action against state secretary Zafir Ibrahim for refusing to gazette the proclamation as ordered by the executive council.

Emirul Sarifudin Nor Azmi, representing the four purported undangs and Tunku Besar Tampin, accused Zafir of misconduct for not gazetting the proclamation as ordered. The state secretary's refusal allegedly prevents the purported new ruler, Tengku Nadzaruddin, from exercising his constitutional powers.

On Thursday, the chief minister, Ismail Lasim, endorsed a statement from the executive council that purportedly affirmed Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir's removal as Yang Dipertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan. The state secretary was instructed to proceed with gazetting the proclamation "according to the relevant regulations." The state secretary's office, however, stated it would not proceed with gazetting the proclamation, given the AGC's view that the proclamation was invalid and unconstitutional.

Emirul argued that the AGC's opinion was not a binding order, but the state of the law that the executive council's decision is binding on the state secretary.