Kuala Pilah UMNO division chief Datuk Ismail Lasim has officially taken oath as the 10th Menteri Besar of Negeri Sembilan on Sunday.
The 63-year-old Juasseh assemblyman took the oath of office before Yang di-Pertuan Besar Negeri Sembilan Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir during the appointment and swearing-in ceremony held at Istana Besar Seri Menanti at 11.20am.
Also present at the ceremony were Tunku Ampuan Besar Negeri Sembilan Tuanku Aishah Rohani Tengku Besar Mahmud, Tunku Besar Seri Menanti Tunku Ali Redhauddin Tuanku Muhriz and Tunku Panglima Besar Negeri Sembilan Tunku Zain Al-‘Abidin Tuanku Muhriz.
The ceremony was also attended by Undang Luak Sungei Ujong and Undang Luak Rembau.
Before his appointment as Menteri Besar, Ismail served as a state executive councillor overseeing the Education and Human Capital portfolio in the previous state administration.
He has a long political background, having served as the Senaling assemblyman from 1999 to 2018 and again from 2023 to 2026. He also represented Juasseh from 2018 to 2023.
In the 16th Negeri Sembilan state election, Ismail retained the Juasseh seat after defeating Pakatan Harapan candidate Mohd Aidil Abdullah and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia candidate Mohd Zuhaimi Md Yusof in a three-cornered contest.
He secured 6,907 votes, while Mohd Aidil received 2,816 votes and Mohd Zuhaimi obtained 506 votes.
