[UPDATED] Current Negri Sembilan crisis inherited from previous state administration — Ismail Lasim

Negri Sembilan's ongoing crisis involving customary institutions and the monarchy is not a result of the current government's actions, but rather inherited from the previous state administration, according to the state's Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ismail Lasim. The previous Menteri Besar failed to fulfill their constitutional responsibilities, allowing the crisis to escalate over time.

The present government, which received more than two-thirds of the people's mandate, now bears the responsibility to restore stability, uphold the state's laws, and protect the dignity of its traditional institutions. Negri Sembilan's governance system is unique, featuring the Yang di-Pertuan Besar, the Undang Yang Empat, and other traditional figures.

Any dispute involving these institutions should not be seen as a political disagreement between the state government and the palace, but rather as a matter that transcends party and individual interests. The state government believes that resolving the crisis requires returning to the customs, the constitution, and the institutions vested with authority under the law.

The current dispute began with a proclamation on April 19, where four individuals claiming to be Undangs announced the removal of Tuanku Muhriz, citing Article 10(1)(b) of the Constitution. The Undang Yang Empat then proclaimed Tunku Nadzaruddin as the 12th Yang di-Pertuan Besar. The state executive council, led by Ismail, endorsed the proclamation on September 15, and the state's highest traditional body ruled that the proclamation was invalid on September 14.