Negeri Sembilan’s Muhriz invited to Malaysia’s rulers council, in latest twist to throne tussle

KUALA LUMPUR - Embattled Negeri Sembilan ruler Muhriz Munawir has been invited to the Oct 13 to 15 Conference of Rulers, amid a palace feud in his state that has dragged the federal Malaysian government into a brewing constitutional crisis.The invitation from Sultan Nazrin Azlan Shah of Perak - whose turn it is to chair the council - strengthens Muhriz’s legitimacy, which is being questioned by Negeri Sembilan’s territorial chieftains, empowered under the state’s unique constitution to elect or remove a ruler found unfit to reign.However, Muhriz has informed Nazrin that he will attend only the pre-council meeting of Malaysia’s nine state sovereigns on Oct 13. The pre-council is not attended by Malaysia’s King, currently Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar of Johor, so as to preserve the sanctity of state-level interests before meeting federal representatives including Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.Official sources told The Straits Times that Yang di-Pertuan Besar Muhriz is scheduled to preside over the appointment of a new chieftain, or Undang, of Jelebu on Oct 14.“It’s a crucial event as it will give Muhriz a clear majority in Negeri Sembilan’s Dewan Keadilan dan Undang (DKU),” a source with knowledge of the crisis told ST on condition of anonymity given the sensitivity around royal affairs.The DKU is the highest authority on the state’s Adat Perpatih, a centuries-old custom governing its feudal hierarchy. Of the four Undang, Jelebu will now be the third seen to be loyal to Muhriz. The appointment gives him more leverage against the rebellion led by his cousin, Nadzaruddin Ja’afar, who wants to replace him.Nadzaruddin - proclaimed by three former and one current Undang as the new Yang di-Pertuan Besar, or Yamtuan - has been snubbed by Sultan Nazrin. The son of the previous Negeri Sembilan ruler has not been invited, ST has learnt, despite making repeated requests through various rulers and the state’s chief minister Ismail Lasim to secure an invitation in place of Muhriz. Nadzaruddin has aligned himself to the rebel chieftains and UMNO - which reclaimed the state from Anwar’s Pakatan Harapan after forcing snap polls held in August. The bruising crisis has damaged the institution of the constitutional monarchy and left Negeri Sembilan without a functioning government since September.The Undang proclaimed on April 19 that they have removed Muhriz from the throne but the constitution explicitly requires an inquiry into the Yamtuan’s alleged transgressions. This, however, was never convened. Malaysia’s Attorney General has repeatedly stated that Muhriz’s claimed dismissal was unconstitutional and he remains the sole occupant to the Negeri Sembilan throne.Muhriz has held a public stance against corruption and abuse of power - in particular the appointment of judges - that has made him some powerful enemies amongst Malaysia’s elite. These include UMNO leaders who are spearheading the move to pardon former prime minister Najib Razak.Muhriz has so far kept his silence despite the cloud over his legitimacy. However, that he has presided over the removal of three new Undang speaks volumes.“He may make his feelings clear during the appointment of the Jelebu Undang on Oct 14 as it is an opportune time having been affirmed by the Conference of Rulers,” a source close to the Negeri Sembilan palace told ST.This comes even as Negeri Sembilan UMNO chief Jalaludddin Alias has been forced to deny reports that he is planning to oust his party colleague Ismail as chief minister.On Sept 17, Ismail claimed that his state Cabinet - formally known as executive councillors or exco - affirmed Muhriz’s removal as Yamtuan based on an April proclamation by the Undang. This is despite Ismail being sworn in as Menteri Besar before Muhriz, the day after UMNO won the Aug 1 snap polls.Negeri Sembilan chief minister Ismail Lasim, seen here, was sworn in by Muhriz after UMNO won the Aug 1 state election. PHOTO: BERNAMABut the state secretary - the top civil servant in the state bureaucracy - has cited the Attorney General’s legal opinion in refusing to gazette the Ismail administration’s decision.On Sept 20, Muhriz sacked the exco and the bureaucracy subsequently barred them from entering the offices of the executive council.The Menteri Besar has shifted allegiances between the two claimants to the throne, deepening the palace crisis. He filed two police reports earlier in September, seen by ST, that he was forced to sign a proclamation on Aug 3 that Muhriz was no longer Yamtuan under duress and denying that he supported the dethroning of Muhriz.The imbroglio brings into sharp focus the increasing coupling of Malaysia’s constitutional monarchy and politics.According to a Sept 5 statement by the chieftains - three of whom have had their positions revoked in recent months - Ismail met them on Aug 3 to gain their blessing and that of the contender to the throne, Nadzaruddin. The chieftains said Ismail signed the proclamation removing Muhriz from the throne and paving the way for Nadzaruddin to be installed.In a short response on Sept 6, Ismail said “the four Undang have the right to their opinion” but that he “and the state government express full loyalty to Muhriz Munawir as the Yang di-Pertuan Besar”, without confirming or denying whether he signed the proclamation.This flies in the face of UMNO’s stance that politicians should not interfere with royal matters. It was the principle it invoked when withdrawing support for the previous chief minister Aminuddin Harun, which led to the state assembly being dissolved in June.They had accused Aminuddin, a vice president in Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s Parti Keadilan Rakyat, of interfering with Negeri Sembilan’s Adat Perpatih when he refused to sign off on the proclamation by the Undang ousting Muhriz.The belief in UMNO is that having criticised Aminuddin for gainsaying the Undang, the public expects the party to put the matter to bed now that it has taken power in Negeri Sembilan.Party vice-president Johari Ghani was reported as saying UMNO must clear the air on Negeri Sembilan before the campaign for the Nov 14 Melaka state polls.“We must explain and tell the public that the parties that wants to sack Muhriz is not UMNO,” he told reporters on Oct 11.The previous meeting of Malaysia’s nine royal houses scheduled for June was postponed by the monarchs amid uncertainty over the Negeri Sembilan throne.Muhriz was due to chair the June conference, at a time when the issue of a renewed pardon bid by former UMNO chief Najib - currently serving a six-year term for graft involving the multi-billion dollar 1MDB saga - was a key talking point among the brother rulers, according to sources close to several royal houses.Najib was handed a conditional house arrest in September by the Federal Territories Pardons Board chaired by Sultan Ibrahim as Agong.Sign up for our weekly Asian Insider Malaysia Edition newsletter to make sense of the big stories in Malaysia.