Deputy prime minister says neither he nor Negeri Sembilan menteri besar Ismail Lasim was summoned to meet Yang Dipertuan Besar Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir.
Bernama reported yesterday that several vehicles, including one believed to be carrying Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, arrived at Istana Negeri Sembilan in Changkat Persekutuan for an audience with Tuanku Muhriz.
The reported meeting came amid a dispute over Tuanku Muhriz’s position as the state ruler, with Bernama reporting that Zahid and Ismail were also expected to be granted an audience.
“I wasn’t there,” Zahid said today when asked to comment on the meeting.
“The menteri besar and I were not summoned for an audience, and we only found out about it through reports in the media,” he said when met by reporters after officiating the University Research and Innovation Investment Summit 2026 here.
Zahid declined to comment further on the political dispute, deferring to Ismail. He said the matter should be managed and resolved amicably within the state.
He also said the dispute involved complex legal interpretations concerning powers and constitutional jurisdiction, and stressed that state institutions and the royal framework in Negeri Sembilan must be respected.
This follows the Negeri Sembilan palace’s announcement that Tuanku Muhriz had decided to revoke the appointments of 10 state executive councillors for violating their oath of office following a joint statement that endorsed his removal as the state ruler.
The palace said the exco members were also found to have breached their pledge of allegiance to the Yang Dipertuan Besar, which they took on Aug 7.
It said that under the state’s constitution, exco members other than the menteri besar hold office at the ruler’s pleasure.
Ismail yesterday disputed Tuanku Muhriz’s decision to revoke the appointments, saying Negeri Sembilan’s constitution does not allow the state ruler to terminate the tenure of an exco member unless advised or requested by the menteri besar.
Last week, the exco released a joint statement purportedly affirming Tuanku Muhriz’s removal as Yang Dipertuan Besar.
Ismail endorsed the statement a day later, despite previously claiming that he was coerced into signing a proclamation on Tuanku Muhriz’s alleged removal.
The Negeri Sembilan Dewan Keadilan dan Undang dismissed the exco’s statement as unconstitutional and invalid, affirming that Tuanku Muhriz remained the state’s ruler.
The Attorney-General’s Chambers also said the statement had no legal effect as the menteri besar and his exco do not have the power to unilaterally vacate the state ruler’s position. - FMT
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.