HIGHLY respected customary expert Tan Sri Rais Yatim has been mocked by detractors for siding Tunku Nadzaruddin Tuanku Ja’afar who was yesterday (June 5) proclaimed as the 12th Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan (NS) in apparent defiance of an interim injunction from the Seremban High Court.

Ironically, the proclamation was held at a five-star hotel in Alor Gajah, Melaka after police briefly blocked several Undang and adat leaders from entering the official residence of the Tunku Besar of Tampin where a special sitting of the Dewan Keadilan dan Undang was held.

Interestingly, the 84-year-old former NS menteri besar (1978-1982) who is currently an independent political figure after officially departed from Bersatu on April 15 to focus on non-governmental organisation activities has questioned the actions by the authorities who allegedly obstructed the movement of state dignitaries without a clear explanation.

“… you are preventing people from entering the premises of an institution that is authorised under Article 18 of the Negeri Sembilan Constitution,” Rais who was accompanying the Undang Luak Johol and Jelebu to Tunku Besar Tampin’s Official Residence Hall had confronted the cops.

These are the Undang Luak Johol and Jelebu who are state dignitaries. They are the joint rulers (of this state).
This has never happened before and without any notice. What you are doing is worse than communists. What’ve we done here? These are the royal family of NS.

Editor’s Note: On the other side of the divide, the Madani government has re-affirmed the Federal government’s recognition of Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir as the Yang di-Pertuan Besar while stressing that the sovereignty of the Malay Rulers’ institution will continue to be safeguarded in accordance with the Federal Constitution.

Describing the developments in the state as “concerning”, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is adamant that any challenge to the royal institution must be pursued strictly through proper legal and constitutional channels backed by solid justification.

Unwarranted intervention

For his active role in the NS customary and constitutional crises, the former Dewan Negara president (September 2020 to June 2023) was chastised by presumably Madani backers/cybertroopers for his “behind the scenes role as the spokesman”.

One even rallied for Rais to be put “under the SOSMA [Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012] custody for attempting to overthrow the king (current NS ruler Tuanku Muhriz) with his crazy theories about power”.

Another described the former six-term Jelebu lawmaker as both a “play maker and hidden hand” while one commenter contended that the police must have a valid reason or received instruction to prevent entry into the so-called coronation venue.

Others described the former Culture, Arts and Heritage Minster “as a busy body for interfering in the appointment of NS ruler when politician like him should have stayed out of the matter” or even “the biggest batu api (instigator)”.

On the other extreme, the Madani government, too, has its fair share of bashing with vocal former Barisan Nasional (BN) deputy strategic communications director Datuk Eric See-To taking a jab at PMX for his refusal “to recognise the new ruler who has been proclaimed through the Undang Yang Empat process”.

“So now the people want to ask: Does PMX actually recognise the NS State Constitution and the power of the Undang Yang Empat (four chieftains)?” queried the Bossku loyalist.

Or does the Federal government want to choose for itself who is to be recognises even though the NS system is unique and not the same as other states?
NS isn’t a state with an ordinary sultanate to begin with. In the state’s customs and constitution, the Undang Yang Empat has a big role in the state’s government institutions.
If the power of the Undang Yang Empat can be simply set aside, then what is the meaning of the custom system and the Undang Yang Empat?
The question is whether the recognised ruler is the one one determined by the NS system itself or the one chosen to be recognised by Putrajaya? – June 6, 2026

Main photo credit: Harian Metro

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