Third claimant disputes appointments of 2 Sungai Ujong undangs

Another individual has claimed that he is the legitimate 11th Undang Luak (territory chieftain) for Sungai Ujong, despite two other men having already been named as Mubarak Thahak’s successor.

The new development in the Negeri Sembilan royal dispute involves Othman Ismail’s insistence that he was appointed as an undang in 2009 with full customary rituals, but his rights have continuously been denied.

Claiming that he had received endorsement from Sungai Ujong Perut Waris Hilir’s leaders, including its Ibu Soko (female elder), Othman (above) is now demanding recognition of his position as the territory’s undang.

“There is no need to appoint a new (undang), I am already it, just declare me as the legitimate undang. Everyone else can shut their mouths.

“Appointing a new one is not easy - you have to gather all the Dato’ Lembaga Adat, as well as get the agreement of both the Hulu and Hilir faction,” he told Malaysiakini.

Besides showing a video of his installation from 17 years ago, Othman also furnished the proclamation scroll he received when he was sworn into the position.

Dispute among nobles

On May 10, another group of Sungai Ujong nobles, Perut Waris Hulu, proclaimed Abd Rahman Limat as the 11th Undang Luak during a ceremony held in Rasah.

The appointment of the 70-year-old retired civil servant from the Biduanda Waris Klana clan came less than a week after the Sungai Ujong’s Klana Hulu heirs named accountant Faris Johari to the position.

The latter group of leaders is supposedly aligned to the disputed Telaga Undang of Sungai Ujong, Sarifah Norzaidah Al-Qadri and two other nobles, who had earlier “sacked” Mubarak from his position.

Mubarak’s office, however, has rejected Rahman’s appointment, with the private secretary to the disputed chieftain claiming that the proclamation was made without the approval of the territory’s Dato’ Lembaga Adat and its Waris Hilir’s elders.

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

‘Invalid appointments’

When asked about the selection of the two men, Othman further claimed that their appointments were invalid.

This, he alleged, was because Faris’ appointment had faced opposition from his own kinspeople, while Rahman was supposedly involved during his own previous installation.

Disputes over Mubarak’s sacking and related matters have since led to four territorial chieftains dragging the state government to court to seek the release of the April 17 meeting minutes.

The Negeri Sembilan’s Council of the Yang di-Pertuan Besar and the Ruling Chiefs (Dewan Keadilan dan Undang), however, have objected to the chieftains’ originating summons.

Lawyer Steven Thiru, who represents the council and its secretary, Raja Norazli Raja Nordin, reportedly argued that the Seremban High Court has no jurisdiction to hear the matter as the council is the highest authority for administering Malay custom in Negeri Sembilan.

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