DKU reaffirms Tuanku Muhriz remains Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negri Sembilan

SEREMBAN: The Negri Sembilan Dewan Keadilan dan Undang (DKU) has once again reaffirmed that Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir remains the Yang di-Pertuan Besar.

DKU secretary Raja Norazli Raja Nordin said Tuanku Muhriz was elected by the Undangs and proclaimed as the 11th Yang di-pertuan Besar on Dec 29, 2008, before being officially installed in accordance with the Laws of the state constitution on Oct 26, 2009.

He said Tuanku Muhriz continued to hold the position, as well as serving as chairman of the DKU under Article 19.

"The (constitution provides that the only lawful way for the position to become vacant is if it is established that the Undangs have called upon His Royal Highness to abdicate or step down. Article 10 requires a proper and full enquiry by the Undangs; a determination that the grounds specified under Article 10 exist.

"The exercise of that power by persons lawfully holding the office of Undang in the number required under Article 29; and a proclamation under Article 10(2)," he said in a statement today.

Raja Norazli said none of these requirements had been fulfilled.

He said Tuanku Muhriz had continued to discharge the functions of the Yang di-Pertuan Besar since April 19, while the council continued to sit with His Royal Highness as its chairman.

As such, he said there was no vacancy in the office.

"Article 11 only applies when the position is vacant, and could not be invoked to elect a successor as long as the office is lawfully occupied.

"The tenure of Tuanku Muhriz in the position can only be terminated in the manner provided for under the (state constitution). The council does not recognise any other person as holding the position," he said.

Meanwhile, Raja Norazli said Tuanku Muhriz did not intervene in Luak Sungei Ujong affairs during the April 17 sitting.

He said the records showed that the matter brought before the DKU was a complaint lodged by representatives of the Telaga Undang of Luak Sungei Ujong, namely Ibu Soko and Waris Klana Hulu.

"They dismissed Mubarak Thahak @ Dohak as Undang in accordance with the customs of the Luak, with the dismissal letter handed to him on May 13, 2025.

"He said Tuanku Muhriz had made it clear that, under Article 14(1) and (3), the customary authority to choose, appoint and dismiss an Undang rests with the Luak itself, and that no member of the Dewan, 'including His Royal Highness himself', has the power to support or oppose such a decision," he said.

He said the DKU therefore recognised the dismissal as a decision by the Luak under its own customs under Article 14(3).

"The members were consulted before the conclusion was reached, and the minutes showed that no further objections were raised after Tuanku Muhriz, as Speaker of the Dewan, announced the Dewan's decision to accept the dismissal," he said.

He said neither the DKU nor Tuanku Muhriz had dismissed any Undang.

Raja Norazli explained that the Dewan accepted the Luak's decision to dismiss the Undang of Luak Sungei Ujong.

"Therefore, the April 17 sitting was not an intervention in the affairs of the Luak. Rather, it was the Dewan carrying out its function under Article 16 to receive and advise on a decision already made by the Luak in accordance with its customs," he said.

Raja Norazli also said the Luak had dismissed Mubarak Thahak @ Dohak as Undang of Luak Sungei Ujong under its customs, effective May 13, 2025 (advice dated April 17, 2026).

Maarof Mat Rashad, meanwhile, was dismissed as Undang of Luak Jelebu under the Luak's customs, effective May 31, 2023 (advice dated July 31, 2026).

"Abdul Rahim Yasin was never formally appointed as Undang of Luak Rembau in accordance with the prescribed customs because his appointment was never completed through the Istiadat Menzahirkan Kejadian Undang ceremony (advice dated July 31)," he said.

Raja Norazli said Badarudin Abdul Khalid had ceased to hold the position of Dato' Shahbandar Sungei Ujong following a Luruh Pusaka declaration by anak waris and Ibu Soko Waris di Ayer on July 30, 2026, which was affirmed on July 31, 2026.

"Therefore, the current Undang are Datuk Klana Petra Muhammad Faris Johari for Luak Sungei Ujong and Datuk Sedia Raja Hassan Ab Hamid for Luak Rembau.

"Datuk Johan Pahlawan Lela Perkasa Setiawan Datuk Muhammed Abdullah is the Undang of Luak Johol, while the positions of Undang of Luak Jelebu and Dato' Shahbandar Sungei Ujong are currently vacant," he said.

He said the DKU had therefore maintained its decision of July 31, that the document dated April 19, did not comply with Article 10, was unconstitutional and had no effect, and that no valid process had resulted in Tuanku Muhriz ceasing to hold the position of Yang Dipertuan Besar.

Raja Norazli also said the DKU continued to recognise Tuanku Muhriz as Yang di-Pertuan Besar and Speaker of the Dewan under Article 19, did not recognise any vacancy in either position, and did not recognise anyone else as holding them.

He said the DKU also called on all state and federal civil servants to continue administering the state in accordance with the law and the lawful chain of command, and required anyone claiming that a "sufficient and full investigation" had been conducted to present the complete record of the process before a forum with jurisdiction.

"All parties are also urged to respect court proceedings, maintain public order, and not invoke custom as a reason to disregard the (state constitution)," he said.