SEREMBAN: A secretariat representing the Undang Yang Empat and Tunku Besar Tampin wants the Attorney General's Chambers (AGC) and the state secretary to review their decisions that an enquiry process to remove Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir as the state ruler was not carried out in accordance with the Laws of the Constitution of Negri Sembilan 1959.
In a statement, the secretariat said it also believed the AGC had no right to interfere in Negri Sembilan's internal affairs and should not act as a judge to dispute the state exco's decision to accept a Proclamation removing Tuanku Muhriz.
"We wish to emphasise that the investigation process regarding the misconduct of Tuanku Muhriz was carried out during the meeting of the Dewan Keadilan dan Undang (DKU) on March 5 and was followed by a further investigation by the Undang Yang Empat on April 19, 2026.
"The investigation report detailing Tuanku Muhriz's misconduct was also presented to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on August 26," they claimed on Friday (Sept 18).
The secretariat said the statement by the AGC was highly misleading as it gives the impression that the state exco had acted wrongfully in agreeing to remove Tuanku Muhriz.
On the contrary, the secretariat said the decision to remove Tuanku Muhriz was made by the Undang Yang Empat under their prerogative powers.
"The action of the state exco to accept the Proclamation should instead be appreciated by the AGC for upholding the principle of constitutional supremacy.
"These facts clearly demonstrate that the processes and procedures required under Article 10 of the state laws had already been complied with before the Proclamation of April 19 was issued.
"This directly contradicts the allegation made by the AGC stating the absence of facts regarding compliance with the said procedures," it said.
On Thursday (Sept 17), the AGC said the Negri Sembilan Mentri Besar and the state exco had no unilateral power to depose or vacate the office of Yang di-Pertuan Besar Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir.
The AGC said the validity and legal effect of such a proclamation must instead be determined through the constitutional and legal processes provided under the state laws.
The AGC said it found that the proclamation was invalid as it had failed to comply with the mandatory requirements under Article 10 of the state Constitution.
The secretariat said the state secretary should also resign for failing to act on the state exco's directive to gazette the proclamation.
"This is because the state secretary is duty-bound to obey the instructions of the government of the day instead of receiving instructions from unrelated external parties who have no business with the state administration," it said.
The secretariat added that the gazetting of the Proclamation was not a condition for it to become valid.
A proclamation, they said, becomes valid and complete once all signatories have appended their signatures.
Regarding the proceedings in the High Court of Malaya in Seremban referred to by the AGC as still ongoing, the secretariat said those proceedings only touched upon the issue of a claim for the production of the DKU meeting minutes dated April 17.
"The proceedings do not touch upon the question of the validity of the April 19 Proclamation at all.
"Furthermore, regarding the interlocutory injunction referred to in the statement, it is actually an ad interim injunction which, among other things, relates to the DKU to maintain its status quo as of May 21, 2026," they said.
Based on the status quo as of May 21, the secretariat said the lawful Undang Yang Empat were Datuk Mubarak Dohak (Undang Sungei Ujong), Datuk Maarof Mat Rashad (Undang Jelebu), Datuk Mohammed Abdullah (Undang Johol) and Abdul Rahim Yasin (Undang Rembau), together with Tunku Besar Tampin Tunku Syed Razman Tunku Syed Idrus al-Qadri and Dato' Shahbandar Sungei Ujong Datuk Seri Badarudin Abdul Khalid.
The secretariat also disputed the list of Undang which was issued following the meetings of the DKU on July 31 and Sept 13.
