The Attorney General’s Chambers confirms the Negeri Sembilan Exco lacks constitutional authority to declare the removal of Tuanku Muhriz or recognize a successor.
PETALING JAYA: The Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) has said the Negeri Sembilan State Executive Council (Exco) has no constitutional authority to declare the removal of Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir as Yang di-Pertuan Besar valid or recognise a successor.
In a statement today, the AGC said the Menteri Besar and State Exco did not have unilateral powers to fill or vacate the office of Yang di-Pertuan Besar.
It said any such matter must be dealt with through the proper constitutional and legal process under the Laws of the Constitution of Negeri Sembilan 1959 (UUTKNS).
The statement was issued in response to a document titled Kenyataan Media Majlis Mesyuarat Kerajaan Negeri Sembilan – Keputusan Majlis Mesyuarat Kerajaan Negeri, Negeri Sembilan Bil. 6 Tahun 2026, dated Sept 15.
In the document, the Exco members declared the April 19 proclamation removing Tuanku Muhriz valid and recognised Tuanku Nadzaruddin Tuanku Ja’afar as the new ruler.
The AGC reiterated its earlier preliminary view that the April 19 proclamation did not meet the mandatory requirements of Article 10 of the UUTKNS.
It said there was no evidence that any of the disqualifying circumstances under Article 10(1) applied to Tuanku Muhriz.
“While the Undangs do have the powers to have a Ruler dethroned, Article 10 also sets out procedures and grounds that must be followed first and no facts to date show that this procedure was complied with,” it said.
The AGC also raised questions over the legitimacy of some of the Undangs who signed the proclamation.
It added that several were alleged to have since been removed from their positions according to adat in their respective luak, raising questions over whether the composition of the Undang Yang Empat was complete at the material time.
While respecting the position of the Undangs and acknowledging that their appointment and removal are governed by adat in their respective luak, the AGC pointed out that the UUTKNS also establishes a Dewan Undangan dan Keadilan.
Under Article 16, matters of Malay custom, including the selection, appointment, installation and removal of an Undang, as well as any matter raised by the Yang di-Pertuan Besar, fall within the Dewan’s jurisdiction.
Under Article 16(3), the Dewan’s advice on such matters is final and cannot be challenged in any court, the AGC said.
On this basis, the AGC said the State Exco’s statement had no legal effect because the body had no jurisdiction or authority under the UUTKNS to make such a declaration.
It also said there was no legal basis for the Exco to rely on the April 19 proclamation.
“Any gazettement or implementation of the proclamation would therefore be unconstitutional and invalid,” it said.
The AGC noted that the matter remains before the Seremban High Court, where an interlocutory injunction is currently in force.
It called on all parties to respect the court process and allow the matter to be resolved in an orderly manner.
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