Negeri Sembilan Umno denies working with Perikatan Nasional to topple the menteri besar, citing institutional crisis rather than political ambition.
PETALING JAYA: Negeri Sembilan Umno has categorically denied claims that its withdrawal of support for Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun is part of a political manoeuvre to align with Perikatan Nasional (PN) and form a new state government.
State Umno Leader Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias dismissed suggestions that the party was working with PN to “topple” the administration as baseless, insisting the move was not driven by personal or political ambition.
“There is no such thing as toppling the government to take over. That is not our intention,” Jalaluddin said during a press conference at the Negeri Sembilan Umno headquarters.
He clarified that the collective decision by all 14 Umno assemblymen to withdraw their support was made while still part of the government and was grounded in concerns over institutional integrity and state stability.
He warned that prolonged political tension in the state had reached a critical point, describing it as a “time bomb” that risked eroding public confidence.
Jalaluddin specifically cited sensitivities surrounding Negeri Sembilan’s unique traditional and monarchical structures.
He argued that matters involving the Undang Yang Empat and the Yang di-Pertuan Besar should not be openly debated in ways that could mislead the public or damage institutional standing.
“When issues involving adat (customary law) and the monarchy are discussed openly on social media, it creates misunderstanding and affects both the institutions and the government,” he said.
He reiterated that the appointment of a Menteri Besar rests solely with the Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan, not with political actors.
Following the withdrawal, Jalaluddin confirmed that Umno is now exploring constitutional options to ensure the continuity of the state administration.
He claimed that the current Menteri Besar has “lost the confidence” required to lead and prompted Umno to seek an audience with the Ruler to formally convey its position.
“We have requested to meet His Royal Highness the Yang di-Pertuan Besar to inform him of the withdrawal of support. I am ready to be received at any time,” he said.
Jalaluddin added that he had briefed Umno President Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi on the developments, categorising the situation as “extraordinary” rather than a routine political realignment.
He also confirmed that assemblymen and senior officials have already returned their official facilities, including government vehicles, as they await further constitutional guidance.
Despite Umno’s denial of a pact, PN Negeri Sembilan has separately signalled its readiness to cooperate with the 14 Umno assemblymen.
PN’s leadership stated that its priority remains state stability, a stance that has intensified speculation over a possible realignment that would give a BN-PN bloc a 19-seat majority in the 36-seat assembly.
