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THE Unity Government is set for a critical test next week as United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) and Pakatan Harapan prepare to deliberate the escalating administrative crisis in Negeri Sembilan through the Unity Government Leadership Consultative Council.
UMNO secretary-general Datuk Seri Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said the meeting will also examine the position of Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun, signalling that the dispute has broadened beyond internal disagreements into questions of governance, policy alignment and institutional principles.
He said UMNO would engage with Pakatan Harapan’s political bureau to reassess both parties’ positions on the matter, particularly where it concerns policy direction and adherence to the framework underpinning the unity government.
“What is happening in Negeri Sembilan is related to matters of policy and also the respective positions of each party. So, I think we return to the memorandum of understanding that formed the Unity Government.
“Through it, when misunderstandings or disputes arise, we have our platform, which is the Leadership Consultative Council. Next week we will meet,” he told reporters.
Asyraf Wajdi added that the crisis cannot be viewed solely as an individual issue, stressing that it also touches on the sovereignty of the monarchy and the preservation of adat, or customary traditions, in the state.
The planned talks come amid rising tensions after state UMNO, led by chairman Jalaluddin Alias, declared it would rather sit in opposition than continue governing alongside Pakatan Harapan in Negeri Sembilan.
Jalaluddin was reported as saying the party did not wish to be associated with alleged wrongdoing involving Aminuddin, particularly in relation to a dispute said to involve the state’s constitutional framework and customary practices.
The outcome of next week’s council meeting is expected to be pivotal in determining whether the unity government can maintain cohesion at the state level or faces deeper fractures over principles, power-sharing and institutional sensitivities. - May 3, 2026
