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THE crisis unfolding in Negeri Sembilan must be resolved with the Laws of the Constitution of Negeri Sembilan 1959 (UUTKNS) serving as the primary reference.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform), Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, stated that any decision concerning the crisis in the state must refer to the state constitution.
She noted that she had read the Attorney General's Chambers (AGC) statement on the matter and that the issue did not fall under her purview.
“That may be the Attorney General’s view. However, I wish to emphasise one point here: I believe we must revert to the state constitution, as that is the supreme law of the state.
“I do not wish to take sides—regarding who is right or wrong—but in my view, for any decision or action, one must refer back to the principal law, which is the UUTKNS,” she said.
Meanwhile, Azalina expressed the view that the crisis should be resolved by Negeri Sembilan itself, without interference from external parties.
“Negeri Sembilan is unique compared to other states. Therefore, for those of us not from Negeri Sembilan to comment on this matter would, I feel, be somewhat inappropriate.
“I am confident that the people of Negeri Sembilan should find the solution for their own state. However, that is my personal view, not a legal one; I am from Johor,” she said.
On the call by 10 former presidents of the Malaysian Bar for the federal government to step in and resolve the constitutional issues in the state, Azalina said the boundaries between state and federal jurisdiction had to be respected. – September 23, 2026
