SNAPSHOT | MB says chieftains' declaration to remove ruler invalid; Sukma: Amirudin says ministry to decide

KINI SNAPSHOT | What’s going on in the news today, with updates at 9am, 2pm, 6pm and 9pm.

Quick highlights:

• N Sembilan MB claims ruler not removed

• S’gor sultan calls for Sukma postponement

• Sukma: MB leaves it to ministry

• Dept: No ‘critical’ radiation safety issues

• M’sia’s non-alignment a boon for defence

• Perlis MB says all is well

9pm

Royal crisis

• Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Aminuddin Harun said a declaration by the state’s four chieftains removing Yang di-Pertuan Besar Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir from the throne is invalid.

  He argued that this is because the undang (ruling chief) of Sungai Ujong, Mubarak Thahak, had already been sacked.

  

  However, Aminuddin’s response does not take into account that the other three undang also agreed to invoke their power to remove Tuanku Muhriz, and that state law does not require a decision by all four of the chieftains.

• The Telaga Undang of Sungai Ujong - the district’s highest customary authority - said Mubarak had no power to dethrone Tuanku Muhriz.

  “The Ibu Sako of Klana Hulu and the Heirs of Klana Hulu had never given him the mandate to do so,” said the Telaga Undang, Sarifah Norzaidah Al-Qadri, in a statement.

  The Ibu Sako of Klana Hulu are female elders who hold the power to nominate the undang from amongst the Heirs of Klana Hulu, and their views hold significant sway.

  “Mubarak’s actions are treason against Tuanku Muhriz and should face legal action,” Sarifah added.

READ MORE: Royal rumble: Negeri chieftains 'sack' ruler in tit-for-tat

Sports

• The hosting of the Malaysia Games (Sukma) in Selangor, scheduled for Aug 15 to 24, should be postponed until the crisis in West Asia is resolved, said state ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah today.

  In his royal address to open the Fourth Term of the 15th Selangor State Legislative Assembly sitting, the sultan also decreed that the postponement should remain in place until the redevelopment of Shah Alam Stadium is completed.

  “Regarding Selangor’s hosting of Sukma, I am informed that the required allocation is very high.

  “Given the economic situation, I am of the opinion that it would be more appropriate for the hosting to be postponed until the crisis in West Asia is resolved and until Shah Alam Stadium is completed,” he said, according to Bernama.

  The ruler also decreed that the 2026 Sultan of Selangor Cup - the annual football match between Selangor and Singapore - be cancelled.

• Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari said his government will leave it to the Youth and Sports Ministry and the 2026 Selangor Malaysia Games Supreme Committee to decide whether to go ahead with holding the event.

  

  “The most important thing is that our athletes’ preparation for the 2027 SEA Games is not affected, because Sukma is one of the platforms for us to identify athletes’ capabilities,” Bernama quoted him as saying.

  He added that the decision must be comprehensive and take into consideration the money already spent on preparing for the event and the deposits lost if it is cancelled abruptly.

6pm

Radiation safety

• The Atomic Energy Department has reiterated that there were no “critical” radiation safety issues that could be linked to an alleged cancer cluster at Universiti Malaya Medical Centre.

  

  It said the Health Ministry’s Medical Radiation Surveillance Division, which has jurisdiction over radiation sources intended for medical use, had already investigated the claim.

  It reaffirmed that the department and the BKRP are committed to ensuring the safety of radiation workers and the public.

READ MORE: UM denies 'cancer cluster' allegations as medical centre's ex-worker plans legal action

2pm

Defence

• Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said that Malaysia’s non-alignment policy gives it a competitive edge in the defence business.

  “A Malaysian supplier enters a supply chain without the political complications that have made sourcing decisions so difficult elsewhere.

  “In the current environment, that is a genuine commercial consideration,” he was quoted as saying by The Star when launching the Defence Services Asia and National Security Asia 2026 exhibitions at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre.

  

• Outside the exhibition, about 100 anti-war activists staged a small protest objecting to companies supplying arms to Israel being exhibitors and vendors.

  They also protested against plans to sell rare earth mined in Malaysia to the US Department of Defense.

READ MORE: Lynas-US defence deal risks clashing with Putrajaya's foreign policy, groups warn

PKR meetings

• The Tuaran PKR division has unanimously voted in favour of a motion to sack former deputy president Rafizi Ramli over his continuing attacks against the party.

  Tuaran PKR chief Razeef Rakimin, who contested the last party polls as part of Rafizi’s team, confirmed to Malaysiakini he had tabled and received support for the motion from some 300 members gathered for the division’s annual general meeting yesterday.

  

  “Rather than repeatedly issue show-cause letters, I propose that the party sack Rafizi as a member,” said Razeef, who also noted that PKR’s refusal to do so has made it appear “weak”.

  The tabling and support for the motion echo the Pandan MP’s own call after he was issued his second show-cause letter on April 9.

Austerity 

• Selangor ruler Sultan Sharafuddin has decreed that his upcoming silver jubilee should be held in moderation, due to the uncertain global economic climate.

  Among others, the royal banquet at Istana Alam Shah in Klang will not be held, while fireworks displays and royal or public concerts have also been cancelled.

  Instead, the ruler has consented to holding only two or three tea receptions at Padang Mahkota, Istana Alam Shah, Klang, involving about 8,000 guests.

  

  The official ceremony at Istana Alam Shah will be limited to the investiture ceremony.

  The savings from the scaled-down celebrations should go towards assisting those in need, and those looking to sponsor or contribute should instead donate to the Sultan Selangor Foundation or other charitable organisations, he said.

West Asia conflict

• The situation in the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters remains volatile as the two-week ceasefire nears its expiry on Wednesday.

  Anadolu Ajansi cited local media that Iran launched drone strikes targeting US vessels, but the reports did not mention whether it was military or commercial ships that were being targeted.

  

  The move is said to be in retaliation after the US Navy shot at, boarded, and seized the Iran-flagged container ship Touska, which was en route from Port Klang to Iran, purportedly in violation of the US blockade.

  The incident came days after commercial vessels in the Persian Gulf reported coming under machinegun fire from Iranian gunboats.

9am

Politics

• The Perlis legislature will convene before a June 8 deadline, assured Menteri Besar Abu Bakar Hamzah, with a new date to be announced next week.

  The legislature, like others in the country, must convene once every six months.

  

  The next session was supposed to be held this week from Tuesday to Thursday. However, it was postponed last week.

  Abu Bakar, who became menteri besar in December after a power tussle with PAS, said the delay had nothing to do with a vote of confidence or uncertainty about whether he continued to command majority support.

Government

• PAS information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari has questioned Putrajaya’s decision to again engage Bestinet for the development of a new migrant worker management system.

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  READ MORE: No issues with Bestinet's new migrant worker system, but talks ongoing: Ramanan

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  Pointing out that Bestinet founder Aminul Islam Abdul Nor is wanted by Bangladeshi authorities, he urged the government to explain why it chose to deal with the company despite its controversies.

  

  “Don’t you have any other people to do business with, that you have to choose such a controversial individual?” Fadhli said on Facebook last night.

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