Negeri Sembilan legislature dissolved; new 'ruler' Friday?

Menteri Besar Aminuddin Harun has announced the dissolution of the Negeri Sembilan legislature, effective Friday, during a late-night press conference at 11pm.

He said he received consent from state ruler Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir to dissolve the legislature.

”Alhamdulillah, today at around 8.30pm, I had an audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan, and His Royal Highness has consented to the dissolution of the state legislative assembly, effective tomorrow, Friday, June 5,” Aminuddin told reporters at his official residence.

When asked if he had also received the consent of the state’s four territorial chieftains, Aminuddin did not directly address the question. Instead, he said he had followed the steps as provided in the Negeri Sembilan state constitution.

Earlier, China Press reported that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim met with Tuanku Muhriz at the state palace tonight, also believed to be in connection with the dissolution.

Aminuddin also said Pakatan Harapan will contest in all 36 state seats, with seat distribution among the coalition’s component parties to be announced sometime next week.

“It (seat distribution) is done. The distribution among the three parties will be detailed next week, otherwise there will be ‘no more stories’,” he quipped.

“Amanah has agreed, DAP agreed, and PKR also supports it,” added Aminuddin, who is also the state PKR chief.

Two weeks ago, DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke told a Harapan convention that Negeri Sembilan will dissolve its legislature if Johor does so.

The dissolution comes nearly three years after the last state election in August 2023, when the Harapan-BN alliance secured a landslide victory by winning 31 seats.

Harapan won 17 seats while BN secured 14, allowing the coalition to retain control of the state government with a two-thirds majority.

Perikatan Nasional won the remaining five seats to form the state’s opposition bench.

Possibility of a deeper royal crisis

The announcement tonight comes ahead of another event purportedly scheduled for tomorrow morning.

An invitation for the event claimed that Tunku Nadzaruddin Tuanku Ja’afar will be installed as the new Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan with immediate effect.

The state’s four chieftains had announced Tunku Nadzaruddin as the next ruler in April, after a dispute over the removal of Mubarak Thahak as the undang of Sungai Ujong.

It is believed that the installation ceremony is being organised by the four chieftains and the tunku besar Tampin.

If the installation event proceeds, it would plunge the state deeper into a royal crisis.

The existence of two Yang di-Pertuan Besar may also become an election issue, and a new menteri besar may play a role in deciding who will sit on the throne.

Under Article 10 of the state constitution, the chieftains or Undang Yang Empat may remove the ruler after conducting a full inquiry into any wrongdoing.

However, Article 10(2) requires that a declaration of abdication be signed by the undangs and the menteri besar.

Aminuddin had sided with Tuanku Muhriz against the undangs, which led to the current uncertainty regarding the state’s royal institution.

The crisis had also caused Negeri Sembilan BN to withdraw support from Aminuddin in April.

However, an attempt to form a new government failed, resulting in the PKR vice-president heading a minority government until the legislature was dissolved.

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