Clarify roles in Negeri Sembilan royal crisis, DAP leaders tell BN, PN

 Syahredzan Johan and three others say the coalitions’ central leadership must state whether they backed the actions of the menteri besar and 10 former exco members.

Negeri Sembilan has been embroiled in a royal crisis since April, when four purported undangs, or chieftains, announced Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir’s removal as the Yang Dipertuan Besar. (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA:

Barisan Nasional (BN) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) have been told to publicly state whether their central leadership knew of, and endorsed, the actions of Negeri Sembilan menteri besar Ismail Lasim and 10 former state executive council members during the royal crisis.

In a joint statement, DAP vice-chairman Syahredzan Johan and three other prominent party members said the coalitions’ leaders had never openly objected to or rejected the actions of their assemblymen.

They said the central leaderships of Umno, PAS, MCA and Wawasan should also seek forgiveness for their assemblymen’s misconduct.

Their statement follows Ismail’s confirmation that he withdrew a letter sent to the Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal concerning the purported removal of Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir as the Yang Dipertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan.

It is believed that the letter also affirmed the 10 sacked exco members’ unanimous support for Tuanku Muhriz.

“In effect, they have admitted that they were wrong to conspire to remove Tuanku Muhriz as the Yang Dipertuan Besar and replace him with another individual,” said Syahredzan and the three other key DAP members.

“All those involved should publicly seek forgiveness from Tuanku Muhriz and the other Malay rulers for these excessive and disloyal actions, which clearly went beyond the powers permitted under the Negeri Sembilan constitution.

“BN and PN’s central leadership should also publicly state whether they knew of, and endorsed, the actions of the menteri besar and former exco members (as they have) never openly objected to or issued any statement rejecting the actions of their assemblymen in this plot.”

The statement was issued by Syahredzan, DAP national publicity assistant secretary Young Syefura Othman, central executive committee member Sheikh Umar Bagharib Ali and Bukit Bendera MP Syerleena Abdul Rashid.

The four also urged the authorities to disclose the outcome of their investigation into Ismail and the former exco members, saying the actions warranted prosecution.

Negeri Sembilan has been embroiled in a royal crisis since April, when four purported undangs, or chieftains, announced Tuanku Muhriz’s removal as the Yang Dipertuan Besar.

In September, 10 state executive council members, seven of them from Umno, issued a statement purportedly affirming Tuanku Muhriz’s removal. Ismail subsequently endorsed the move.

However, the decision was disputed by the state’s Dewan Keadilan dan Undang and the Attorney-General’s Chambers.

Tuanku Muhriz revoked the appointments of all 10 exco members in September. The state administration subsequently gazetted the revocations, stating their appointments had been annulled because they had breached their pledges of allegiance to the ruler.

The 10 include Umno’s Mustapha Nagoor (Palong), Faizal Ramli (Linggi), Zaiful Bahri Idris (Chembong), Razi Ali (Sungai Lui), Asna Amin (Lenggeng), Siti Nur Umaira Hasim (Labu) and Suhaimizan Bizar (Gemencheh).

The other three are MCA’s Siow Kong Choon (Chennah), PAS’s Fairuz Isa (Serting) and Wawasan’s Razali Abu Samah (Sikamat). - FMT