{
  "id": 15330907,
  "title": "Suspicion over fake accounts defending Ismail after royal rebuke",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/18/suspicion-over-fake-accounts-defending-ismail-after-royal-rebuke",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-18T01:57:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Vibes",
    "slug": "the-vibes",
    "url": "https://www.thevibes.com/articles/news/128468/suspicion-over-fake-accounts-defending-ismail-after-royal-rebuke"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Several Instagram posts defending Negeri Sembilan's Menteri Besar Datuk Ismail Lasim following his public reprimand by Yang di-Pertuan Besar Tuanku Muhriz have raised suspicions of being part of a coordinated attempt to sway public opinion. Screenshots revealed numerous accounts with minimal followers posting identical messages within a brief timeframe, portraying Tuanku Muhriz as \"overly emotional\" during his exchange with Ismail, while depicting the Menteri Besar as composed and respectful. The accounts also referred to Tuanku Muhriz as the \"former YDPB,\" a term that has sparked questions within the ongoing dispute over the Negeri Sembilan throne. While it cannot be confirmed if the accounts are automated bots or linked to UMNO, the repeated use of the term \"former\" and the focus of the posts on the Ruler's confrontation with Ismail, rather than the constitutional issues at the heart of the dispute, have fueled speculation about a common narrative being amplified by these accounts. The true intentions and identities behind the accounts remain unknown, as no evidence has been presented to establish a direct connection with UMNO.",
  "summary": "A SERIES of Threads posts defending Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Ismail Lasim after his public dressing-down by Yang di-Pertuan Besar Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir has drawn scrutiny, with screenshots showing several accounts with few or no fol...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Defend royal institution or Ismail, Mujahid challenges Umno",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/17/defend-royal-institution-or-ismail-mujahid-challenges-umno",
        "published": "2026-10-17T08:04:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}