N Sembilan palace revokes two titles from Rais, his reply: 'Oh really?'

The Negeri Sembilan palace has ordered the revocation of two state titles awarded to former menteri besar Rais Yatim, with the decree to take immediate effect.

State registrar of orders Zafir Ibrahim said the Yang di-Pertuan Besar had decreed the withdrawal of the Darjah Seri Utama title conferred on Rais in 2011, as well as the Darjah Dato’ Setia award from 1979.

“This decision was made to safeguard the dignity, honour, and sanctity of the royal institution of Negeri Sembilan,” Zafir, who is also the state secretary, said in a brief statement today.

When contacted, Rais (above) responded nonchalantly to the news.

"Oh really? I didn't notice," he told Malaysiakini.

Rais still holds a federally awarded title from 2013, which comes with the honorific “Tan Sri”.

It was previously reported that Rais, a scholar of the Minangkabau customary law Adat Perpatih, was appointed the chief legal adviser to the state’s highest adat authorities effective April 2.

Throne dispute

The matter came amid a prolonged dispute involving its state royal institution and the customary rulers, which saw the contested proclamation of Tunku Nadzaruddin Tuanku Ja’afar as the new Yang di-Pertuan Besar, replacing Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir.

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

Rais, who attended the ceremony, later told reporters that based on the state constitution, the matters required for the installation had been sufficiently fulfilled.

However, state Comptroller of the Royal Household Azizi Ali later said the ceremony was invalid, with the state's constitution, law, and customs not recognising the event.

READ MORE: Lawyer claims Tunku Panglima Besar appointment unconstitutional

A veteran politician, Rais quit Bersatu in April and has since been named as the chairperson of Parti Wawasan Negara, an outfit led by opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin.

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