Tuanku Muhriz to skip Conference of Rulers meeting

The Yang Dipertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan, Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir, will not be attending the upcoming Conference of Rulers meeting, according to Comptroller of the Negeri Sembilan Royal Household Azizi Mohamad Ali. An earlier report suggested he had received an invitation, but Azizi clarified that Tuanku does not require an official invitation to attend.

Instead, Tuanku has decided to focus on matters within Negeri Sembilan, notably the issue concerning the undang of Luak Jelebu. This decision comes after Pahang Telekom Malaysia's senior general manager, Azrin Khairi, was appointed as the 17th undang of Luak Jelebu on August 29. Earlier, The Straits Times reported that Tuanku Muhriz had been invited to the Conference of Rulers meeting, which was interpreted as recognition of his rightful status as the ruler of Negeri Sembilan.

This issue has been a source of contention for six months, during which his cousin, Tunku Nadzaruddin Tuanku Ja’afar, was "proclaimed" as the new ruler. Perak's Sultan Nazrin Shah, who is set to chair the meeting from tomorrow until October 15, invited Tuanku Muhriz to attend, but Tuanku Muhriz indicated he would only participate in the pre-council meeting the following day.

The Negeri Sembilan royal crisis began in April, when four individuals claiming to be undangs removed Tuanku Muhriz from power. These same individuals also purportedly proclaimed Tunku Nadzaruddin as the new Yang Dipertuan Besar in a five-star hotel in Melaka in June.