Tuanku Muhriz to focus on state affairs; Will not attend Conference of Rulers meeting

The palace clarified today that Yang di-Pertuan Besar Negeri Sembilan Tuanku Muhriz will not be attending the Conference of Rulers meeting, contradicting earlier reports of his invitation. The Istana Negeri Sembilan stated that Tuanku Muhriz had not received any invitation, as previously claimed. According to Datuk Azizi Mohamad Ali, the Pengelola Bijaya Diraja, Tuanku Muhriz made the decision not to attend the meeting and will instead concentrate on state affairs.

This includes the upcoming ceremony to install the Undang Luak Jelebu on October 14. The palace emphasized that they had not previously released any media statements regarding this matter. The Straits Times had earlier reported that Tuanku Muhriz was invited to attend the Conference of Rulers from October 15 to 16, with Sultan Nazrin Shah, the chairman of the council, reportedly extending the invitation.

Tuanku Muhriz reportedly informed Sultan Nazrin that he would only attend the pre-council meeting on October 13. The pre-council meeting, which does not include His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, the King of Malaysia, is meant to safeguard the importance of state-level interests prior to engaging federal representatives, including Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The Democratic Kingdom of Negeri Sembilan (DKU) recently reaffirmed its stance that Tuanku Muhriz remains the legitimate ruler, asserting that the documents issued by a rival group do not influence his constitutional standing. The DKU also rejected the notion that Negeri Sembilan has a collective or multiple rulers, comprising the Yang di-Pertuan Besar and the Ruling Chiefs.

The Attorney-General's Chambers has stated that the state executive council lacks the constitutional authority to declare Tuanku Muhriz's position vacant.