PETALING JAYA: The Dewan Keadilan dan Undang Negri Sembilan (DKU) has recognised the appointments of the new ruling chiefs of Sungei Ujong and Rembau and declared the office of the Undang of Jelebu as vacant.
The decision was made at a meeting on Friday chaired by the Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negri Sembilan, Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir.
"The meeting was attended by the Undang of Luak Sungei Ujong, the Undang of Luak Rembau, and the Tunku Besar of Seri Menanti, thereby satisfying the quorum requirements as provided under Clause 20 of the State Constitution,” it said in a statement yesterday.
It added the council recognised the proclamation appointing Datuk Klana Petra Muhammad Faris Johari as the Undang of Sungai Ujong and Datuk Sedia Raja Hassan Ab Hamid as the Undang of Rembau.
“The DKU received and recorded a notification from the Ibu Soko and the heirs (Anak Waris) of Ayer, Sungai Ujong, stating that the hereditary office-holder, Datuk Shahbandar, Datuk Seri Badarudin Abdul Khalid, had been removed in accordance with the Customary Law (Adat) of Luak Sungai Ujong with effect from July 30,” it said.
The DKU declared the office of Datuk Shahbandar vacant, saying the process of appointing a successor had yet to be completed.
The DKU also declared that the office of the Undang of Jelebu vacant after accepting the dismissal of Datuk Maarof Mat Rashad as the 16th hereditary Undang of Jelebu. It also said the Darjah Tertinggi Negeri Sembilan (DTNS) conferred on Maarof during his tenure was rescinded.
The DKU further ruled that an announcement dated April 19, 2026 was unconstitutional, contravened the state constitution and was therefore null and void.
It determined that Mubarak Thahak, Abdul Rahim Yasin and Maarof, who had purported to hold the offices of the Undang of Sungai Ujong, Undang Rembau and Undang Jelebu respectively, had either ceased to hold or had never lawfully held those positions.
According to the DKU, both the Undang of Sungai Ujong and Jelebu had been removed under the customary laws of their respective luak, while Abdul Rahim’s appointment as Undang of Rembau had never been lawfully completed because the Istiadat Menzahirkan Kejadian Undang (Ceremony of Proclamation and Installation of the Undang) was not carried out.
As such, the three had no legal authority to exercise powers under Article 10 of the state constitution, the DKU said.
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.
