SEREMBAN: The signing of a Sept 5 document by six individuals to depose Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir as the Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negri Sembilan is an act of treason, declares the Dewan Keadilan dan Undang (DKU).
DKU secretary Raja Norazli Raja Nordin said following a special session on Sept 13, the body ruled that the act violates both the adat (customary traditions) and the Laws of the Constitution of Negri Sembilan 1959.
He said four of the signatories did not hold the official positions they claimed, but had signed an abdication instrument without mandatory investigation provided under the state constitution, misused official titles and issued unlawful directives to civil servants.
“No government officer is required to act on any directive based on the said document.
“The state government and all state officers shall continue to recognise Tuanku Muhriz as the Yang di-Pertuan Besar and deal with His Royal Highness accordingly,” he said in a statement.
The DKU is the highest authority governing matters related to the four Undang in Negri Sembilan.
Raja Norazli said Tuanku Muhriz remained the state Ruler as no lawful process had ever taken place to result in him ceasing holding office.
The DKU had also instructed Raja Norazli to convey its decision to the Mentri Besar, the state secretary and the state legal advisor to allow them to take the appropriate measures to implement it.
He would also be lodging a police report regarding the actions of the six individuals.
The six who signed the document were the Undang of Johol Datuk Muhammed Abdullah, the former Undang of Sungei Ujong Datuk Mubarak Dohak, the former Undang of Jelebu Datuk Maarof Mat Rashad, the former Undang of Rembau Abdul Rahim Yasin, Tunku Besar Tampin Tunku Syed Razman Tunku Syed Idrus Al-Qadri and the former Dato’ Shahbandar Sungei Ujong Datuk Seri Utama Badarudin Abd Khalid.
“Four of them did not hold the positions in whose name they signed the Sept 5, 2026 document.
“Signing an instrument aimed at abdicating the Yang di-Pertuan Besar when the provisions in the state laws have not been met, using official titles that are not held, is regarded as treasonous under both customary tradition and the law.”
Raja Norazli reiterated that an April 19, 2026 proclamation signed by four individuals was also invalid as three of them, namely Mubarak, Maarof and Abdul Rahim, did not hold any Undang position.
He said Article 10(1) of the state laws also stipulates that the Undang may only call upon the state Ruler to step down after a full and complete investigation has been carried out.
“No such investigation has ever been conducted, none has ever been brought before the DKU and the Ruler was never given notice or an opportunity to be heard,” he said, adding that the April 19 proclamation was void from the outset.
Raja Norazli said on April 20, the then mentri besar had also refused to sign the document on the grounds that the conditions of Article 10 of the state laws were not met.
“With that refusal, the function of the Mentri Besar under Article 10(2) of the state law had already been exercised, and therefore the proclamation lapsed and became null and void. A new mentri besar cannot re-exercise a function that has already been spent.
“Otherwise, every change of mentri besar would revive the same proclamation and the matter would never end.”
Raja Norazli said the current Undang of Sungei Ujong is Muhammad Faris Johari and the Undang of Rembau is Hassan Ab Hamid while the positions of the Undang of Jelebu and Datuk Shahbandar Sungei Ujong are vacant.
