Umno wants state govt aligned with palace in Negeri Sembilan crisis

On September 17, Negeri Sembilan's Chief Minister Ismail Lasim ordered the gazetting of a proclamation removing Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir as the ruler of the state, following his previous denial of the proclamation's validity. According to Umno political analyst Syaza Shukri, Umno's support for the proclamation may be part of a strategy to align the state government more closely with the palace.

Syaza suggested that the party's central leadership had been planning this alignment even before the Negeri Sembilan election, and that Umno was prepared to endorse the proclamation once in power. She attributed Ismail Lasim's initial stance to his need to come to terms with the new direction from national Umno leadership, stating that the contradiction was more about personnel than policy.

Syaza hypothesized that Umno would defend its position by claiming the proclamation's validity, allowing the party to maintain its role as the protector of the monarchy despite the controversy surrounding Tuanku Muhriz's removal. She argued that aligning the state government with the palace could bolster Ismail's administration if the proclamation stands, but warned that it risks portraying him as susceptible to external pressure.

She noted that the dispute has become increasingly political, with rival factions providing differing interpretations of what it means to "defend the royal institution". Ultimately, the courts will likely decide the constitutional dispute amidst competing claims of legitimacy.