KUALA LUMPUR: Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi confirms that he has already met Negri Sembilan Mentri Besar Datuk Ismail Lasim over recent developments in the state.
This comes after Ahmad Zahid previously said he wanted to seek clarification regarding the Mentri Besar’s claim that he had been coerced into signing a proclamation to remove state Ruler Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir.
“Yes, we have met already. There are some matters, which I feel are resolvable,” he said briefly when met by reporters after the Umno Annual General Assembly here on Saturday (Sept 12).
On Thursday (Sept 10), Ahmad Zahid and Ismail reportedly held a meeting on the sidelines of the party’s general assembly to discuss the crisis in Negri Sembilan.
The Umno president also firmly denied reports placing him at the signing, calling on the lawyer who drafted, witnessed, and held the document to publicly clarify the event.
The matter had come to light on Tuesday (Aug 8) when former Undang of Jelebu Datuk Maarof Mat Rashad distributed copies of a document purportedly signed by Ismail at Istana Laguna Biru in Port Dickson on Aug 3.
Maarof claimed the document formally removed Tuanku Muhriz and noted that ruling chiefs had appointed Tuanku Nadzaruddin Tuanku Ja’afar as the 12th Yang di-Pertuan Besar back in April.
Ismail later publicly stated he had been coerced into signing the document and has since lodged a police report on the matter.
The Mentri Besar had previously reaffirmed his allegiance to Tuanku Muhriz on Sept 6, emphasising that his administration remains steadfastly loyal to the Yang di-Pertuan Besar and focused on state governance.
