DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke Siew Fook has called on Negeri Sembilan executive council members to resign if they no longer recognise Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir as the state’s Yang di-Pertuan Besar.
The Seremban MP questioned whether the state Exco had the legal authority to recognise the ruler’s removal, saying the position was governed by the Negeri Sembilan Constitution and the Dewan Keadilan dan Undang (DKU), which handles matters concerning Malay customs and the state’s traditional rulers.
“An Exco decision cannot by itself override the Laws of the Constitution of Negeri Sembilan 1959 or the decisions of the Dewan Keadilan dan Undang Negeri Sembilan,” he said in a statement.
The comments came after the state Exco announced on Sept 16 that it recognised an April 19 proclamation removing Tuanku Muhriz and acknowledged Tuanku Nadzaruddin Tuanku Ja’afar as the new Yang di-Pertuan Besar. The state government has since said the Exco unanimously endorsed the position and instructed the state secretary to proceed with gazetting the decision.
Loke said Tuanku Muhriz could not be removed without following the process stipulated under the state constitution.
He also noted that the Exco members had taken their oaths of office before Tuanku Muhriz in early August.
“If they now no longer recognise His Royal Highness as the Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan, then as a matter of principle and dignity, they should resign from their respective positions,” he said.
Loke said the Exco announcement had created confusion, disrupted the administration of the state and undermined the institution of the Yang di-Pertuan Besar.
He added that DAP remained committed to parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy, stressing that the rule of law and the dignity of the royal institution should be upheld.
The dispute dates back to April 19, when four individuals claiming to be Undangs announced Tuanku Muhriz’s removal. The DKU subsequently rejected the proclamation, maintaining that it had no legal effect under the Negeri Sembilan Constitution.
In its latest statement on Thursday, the DKU reaffirmed that Tuanku Muhriz remains the legitimate Yang di-Pertuan Besar, saying there is no vacancy or successor to the position while it remains lawfully occupied. It also said the state Exco and government had no jurisdiction to determine the validity of the proclamation or the ruler’s position.
