N Sembilan chieftains seek meeting to end royal dispute

 

Negeri Sembilan's four territorial chieftains are seeking to end the state's worsening royal dispute through a special sitting planned for next week.

According to their letter, which Malaysiakini sighted, the four Undang Luak, together with the tunku besar of Tampin and Sungai Ujong’s datuk syahbandar, are pushing for a meeting with all other members of the state's Council of the Yang di-Pertuan Besar and the Ruling Chiefs (Dewan Keadilan dan Undang).

They also invited Attorney-General Dusuki Mokhtar and the Chief Secretary to the Government, Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar to witness their discussion, scheduled for 9am on May 29 in Tampin.

"The agenda of this special sitting is specifically to discuss pressing issues related to the increasingly worsening crisis in the governance and administration of customary affairs in Negeri Sembilan.

"We believe this sitting is crucial for the interests of Negeri Sembilan," said the letter.

While it was undated, official stamps on the letter showed its copies were delivered to the council and the relevant government offices, including Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Aminuddin Harun's, between Thursday and Friday.

‘Sacking’ Tuanku Muhriz

Negeri Sembilan has been embroiled in an ugly royal dispute since April, after the chieftains invoked their authority to sack Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir as state ruler.

However, the state government had refused to recognise the four Undang Luak's decision. This was based on the supposed ground that one of the chieftains himself was sacked days earlier.

The power play also saw the customary leaders calling Aminuddin a "liar" for allegedly misrepresenting what happened in the council's meeting on April 17, and urged for his removal from office.

This later spilled over to the state's legislative body with Negeri Sembilan Umno assemblypersons announcing their loss of confidence in the menteri besar.

However, their attempt to unseat Aminuddin was thwarted by a political intervention at the federal level.  

In Sungai Ujong, the government's announcement of Mubarak Thahak's removal as its Undang Luak had also created a parallel problem as multiple parties have since come forward claiming their right to the throne. - Mkini