PETALING JAYA: The Dewan Keadilan dan Undang Negri Sembilan (DKU) has recognised the appointments of the new ruling chiefs of Sungai Ujong and Rembau and declared the office of the Undang of Luak Jelebu as vacant.
The DKU said in a statement on Saturday (Aug 1) that this was decided in a meeting held on July 31, chaired by the Yang di-Pertuan Besar, Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir.
“The meeting was attended by His Highness the Undang of Luak Sungai Ujong, His Highness the Undang of Luak Rembau, and His Highness the Tunku Besar of Seri Menanti, thereby satisfying the quorum requirements as provided under Clause 20 of the Undang-Undang Tubuh Kerajaan Negeri Sembilan 1959 (state constitution),” it said.
It said the DKU accepted the Proclamation of the Installation of Datuk Klana Petra Muhammad Faris Johari as the Undang of Luak Sungai Ujong.
Similarly, the council also recognised the proclamation of Datuk Sedia Raja Haji Hassan Ab Hamid as the Undang of Luak Rembau.
The DKU had advised that the recognition be accorded to the new ruling chiefs.
“The DKU received and recorded a notification from the Ibu Soko and the heirs (Anak Waris) of Ayer, Luak Sungai Ujong, stating that the hereditary office-holder, His Excellency Datuk Shahbandar, Datuk Seri Utama Haji Badarudin Abdul Khalid, had been removed in accordance with the Customary Law (Adat) of Luak Sungai Ujong with effect from July 30, 2026,” it said, adding that the office of the Datuk Shahbandar of Sungai Ujong was vacant.
The process of appointing a new Datuk Shahbandar of Sungai Ujong was not concluded.
The DKU also declared that the office of the Undang of Luak Jelebu was vacant, after accepting the dismissal of Datuk Haji Maarof Mat Rashad as the 16th hereditary Undang of Luak Jelebu.
Consequently, the Darjah Tertinggi Negeri Sembilan (DTNS) conferred upon and used by Datuk Haji Maarof during his tenure as Undang of Luak Jelebu has also been forfeited.
“Finally, the announcement contained in the document dated April 19, 2026, was brought to the attention of the DKU.
“The DKU advised and declared that the said announcement is unconstitutional and contravenes Article X of the Constitution of the State of Negeri Sembilan 1959, and is therefore null, void, and of no legal effect,” it said.
The DKU further advised and determined that the persons purporting to hold the offices of Undang of Luak Sungai Ujong, Undang of Luak Rembau and Undang of Luak Jelebu, namely Mubarak Thahak, Abdul Rahim Yasin, and Maarof Mat Rashad, respectively, had, at all material times, either ceased to hold or had never lawfully held their respective offices.”
“The Undang of Luak Sungai Ujong and the Undang of Luak Jelebu had each been removed in accordance with the customary law of their respective Luak on the applicable dates, whilst the purported Undang of Luak Rembau had never been lawfully appointed in accordance with the requisite customary law, his appointment having never been completed through the Istiadat Menzahirkan Kejadian Undang,” added the DKU.
As such, the three had no lawful authority to exercise powers under Article 10 of the state constitution.
Article 10 outlines the legal conditions under which the four ruling chiefs may lawfully ask the Yang di-Pertuan Besar to step back from his duties or face removal.
On Friday, the Datuk-Datuk Lembaga Luak Jelebu had claimed in a press conference that the special meeting was unlawful and had no legal bearing.
