Disputed chieftains, Tunku Nadzaruddin reject gazettes removing undang

Negeri Sembilan's disputed chieftains and purported new ruler Tunku Nadzaruddin Tuanku Ja'afar have rejected government gazettes formalising the removal of two undangs and the replacement of another.

In a joint statement, they claimed the decisions were invalid because they were made at an unlawful meeting of the Negeri Sembilan Council of the Yang di-Pertuan Besar and the Ruling Chiefs (Dewan Keadilan dan Undang or DKU) on July 31.

The statement described the gazettes as invalid, without legal effect and contrary to the Negeri Sembilan State Constitution 1959, alleging that they were issued to mislead the public.

"We believe that the gazette was also issued without the valid approval of the Negeri Sembilan state executive council, which is the legitimate executive body of the state pursuant to Articles 35 and 40 of the state constitution," they said.

The statement was signed by the disputed Undang Luak of Sungai Ujong, Mubarak Thahak; Maarof Mat Rashad (Jelebu); Muhammed Abdullah (Johol); Abdul Rahim Yasin (Rembau); Tunku Besar of Tampin Tunku Syed Razman Syed Idrus Al-Qadri; and Tunku Nadzaruddin.

They also claimed that an interim injunction issued by the Seremban High Court prohibited the original and valid members of the DKU from holding or attending any of its meetings.

Citing Article 20 of the state constitution, they said a DKU meeting required a quorum of at least half of its permanent members, excluding the chairperson, and could not make decisions or issue directives without meeting this requirement.

"Thus, the DKU session on July 31, 2026, did not meet the quorum requirement because only the tunku besar of Seri Menanti, who is a valid permanent member, was present, while the position of Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir is being disputed as he has been removed from the throne by Undang Yang Empat on April 19," they said.

They added that no valid decision or advice concerning the position of any Undang Luak could have been made at the meeting.

"Furthermore, the convening of the DKU meeting on July 31 clearly violated the interim injunction dated June 5, which prohibited any DKU meeting from being held until the application before the Seremban High Court had been disposed of."

State govt removes chieftains

Yesterday, Malaysiakini reported that the Negeri Sembilan state government had gazetted the removal of three chieftains and the appointment of their replacements.

The documents were signed by the secretary to the DKU and were officially printed as gazettes.

The gazettes formalised the removal of Mubarak as undang of Sungai Ujong, Badarudin Abdul Khalid as Sungai Ujong syahbandar (port master), and Maarof as Jelebu chieftain.

Additionally, the gazettes formally recognised the installation of Hasan Ab Hamid as the new undang of Rembau.

This removes Rahim, who is another ally of Mubarak, whose status as Rembau chieftain the DKU claimed was never properly formalised.

Also gazetted was the installation of Faris Johari as Mubarak's replacement in Sungai Ujong.

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