Jelebu chieftain’s installation takes place at Istana Besar Seri Menanti today

Today, the installation of Jelebu's 17th Undang Luak took place at the palace's Balairung Seri in Seri Menanti. The event, known as 'Istiadat Menzahirkan Kejadian Undang Luak Jelebu ke-17', was attended by Negeri Sembilan's Yang di-Pertuan Besar, Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir. Expected guests included Tunku Ampuan Besar, Tuanku Aishah Rohani, Tunku Besar Mahmud, and the Putera Yang Empat. The Jelebu delegation arrived at the venue at 3 pm.

The ceremony followed the declaration of Datuk Azrin Khairi, 51, as the new Undang Luak Jelebu on August 29. Azrin, a senior general manager for a telecommunications firm, holds a degree in business administration and has experience in both business and community work. His appointment was initially made by Ismail Mohd Zin, who holds the title of acting Undang Luak Jelebu, although this role is a matter of dispute.

The appointment was contested by a group of Datuk Lembaga, who argued that the process was invalid. The dispute centers around the removal of Datuk Maarof Mat Rashad, who had held the position since 2022. The Dewan Keadilan dan Undang (DKU) accepted the decision by three Perut Kemin to remove Maarof on May 31, 2023. The DKU claimed that the position became vacant following this decision, making any actions taken by Maarof after that date invalid.