SEREMBAN: A secretariat, representing the Undang of Johol, three other Undang whose position is disputed and Tunku Besar Tampin, has called for a review of the Attorney General’s Chambers and the state secretary’s decision concerning the removal of Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir as the Negri Sembilan Ruler.
The AGC and state secretary had earlier decided that the inquiry process to remove Tuanku Muhriz was not carried out in accordance with the Laws of the Constitution of Negeri Sembilan 1959 (UUTKNS 1959).
In a statement, the secretariat said the AGC had no right to interfere in the internal affairs of the state or act as a judge by disputing the state executive council’s (exco) decision to accept the proclamation removing Tuanku Muhriz.
“We wish to emphasise that the investigation into the (alleged) misconduct of Tuanku Muhriz was conducted during a Dewan Keadilan dan Undang (DKU) meeting on March 5, followed by a further investigation by the Undang Yang Empat on April 19.
“The investigation report detailing Tuanku Muhriz’s (alleged) misconduct was also presented to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on Aug 26.”
The secretariat said the AGC’s statement was highly misleading, as it gave the impression that the state exco had acted wrongfully in agreeing to remove Tuanku Muhriz.
“The action of the state exco in accepting 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 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, the AGC said the Mentri Besar and the exco had no unilateral power to depose or vacate the office of the Yang di-Pertuan Besar, and that the validity and legal effect of such a proclamation must instead be determined through the constitutional and legal processes provided under the state laws.
Meanwhile, the secretariat has also called for the state secretary to resign for failing to act on the state exco’s directive to gazette the proclamation.
“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 a proclamation became valid and complete once all signatories had appended their signatures.
Regarding the proceedings at the High Court of Malaya in Seremban, which the AGC had referred to as ongoing, the secretariat said the case only concerned a claim for the production of the DKU meeting minutes on April 17.
“The proceedings do not touch upon 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 maintaining its status quo as of May 21,” it said.
Based on this, the secretariat said the lawful Undang Yang Empat are Datuk Mubarak Dohak (Sungei Ujong), Datuk Maarof Mat Rashad (Jelebu), Datuk Mohammed Abdullah (Johol) and Abdul Rahim Yasin (Rembau), together with Tunku Besar Tampin, Tunku Syed Razman Tunku Syed Idrus al-Qadri, and Dato’ Shahbandar Sungei Ujong, Datuk Seri Badarudin Abdul Khalid.
