Umno's Ismail Lasim sworn in as N Sembilan MB

Seven-time Umno assemblyperson Ismail Lasim has been sworn in as the 10th Negeri Sembilan menteri besar, following the BN-Perikatan Nasional alliance’s victory at the state polls yesterday.

Ismail (above), who secured the Juasseh state seat, took his oath of office before Yang di-Pertuan Besar, Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir, at Istana Besar Seri Menanti today.

Others reportedly seen attending the ceremony include outgoing state assembly speaker MK Ibrahim Abd Rahman, BN deputy chairperson Mohamad Hasan, and other BN-PN assemblypersons.

An Umno supreme council member, Ismail, 67, has an undefeated election record since he first contested the Senaling state seat in 1999.

Having served in the state constituency until 2018, he later moved to Juasseh for one term before returning to Senaling during the 2023 state election.

The Kuala Pilah Umno chief takes over the menteri besar post from Pakatan Harapan’s Aminuddin Harun, who failed to win the Linggi state seat yesterday.

Ismail was the exco member in charge of the education and human capital portfolio under Aminuddin’s administration.

READ MORE: Loke and Aminuddin defeated in Negeri Sembilan

BN chairperson Ahmad Zahid Hamidi earlier said he had submitted three names for menteri besar for Tuanku Muhriz’s consideration.

Besides former state assembly deputy speaker and newly elected Lenggeng assemblyperson Asna Amin, 47, Zahid was also said to have presented state BN chief Jalaluddin Alias to Tuanku Muhriz.

The Pertang assemblyperson and Jelebu MP had previously been vocal in blaming Pakatan Harapan for the ongoing crisis involving the state’s royal institution and customary rulers.

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

On April 27, Jalaluddin led 12 other Umno assemblypersons, including Ismail and Asna, in a press conference to announce their withdrawal of support for Aminuddin’s leadership.

Among others, they accused him of mishandling the crisis and allowing the state’s royal institution to become the subject of ridicule on social media.

READ MORE: N Sembilan BN confident it can broker solution to royal dispute if returned to power

Royal crisis

The political turmoil then led to the dissolution of the state assembly, which Aminuddin said had received Tuanku Muhriz’s consent.

However, the dissolution was later questioned after the state’s territorial chieftains (undang) proclaimed Tunku Nadzaruddin Tuanku Jaafar as the new Yang di-Pertuan Besar at a brief ceremony at a hotel in Alor Gajah, Malacca.

Former state menteri besar Rais Yatim, who is also the chairperson of PN component Parti Wawasan Negara, had publicly backed the proclamation.

READ MORE: Next N Sembilan MB should be sworn in before Tuanku Muhriz, says lawyer

In yesterday’s polls, BN and PN managed to consolidate Malay votes and bag 25 seats for a two-thirds majority in the state, while Harapan was relegated to 11 seats.

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