SEREMBAN: Negri Sembilan executive council (exco) members are continuing to function as usual, defying an order by the Yang di-Pertuan Besar Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir regarding their dismissal.
Checks with several exco members showed that it was business as usual and that they have been attending to their official duties as normal.
State tourism, arts, culture and heritage committee chairman Datuk Razali Abu Samah said he would be going into office to attend to his official work.
"I will be going into the office as usual. In between, I will be attending a funeral in Paroi Jaya," he said.
State health, unity, information, national integration and non-governmental organisation committee chairman Suhaimizan Bizar and state industrialisation, technology, innovation and digitalisation committee chairman Datuk Mohd Asna Amin had also reported for work as usual.
Checks at Wisma Negri, which houses the state administrative offices, revealed that most exco members were back to work.
On Sept 20, Tuanku Muhriz revoked the appointments of the state exco with immediate effect after the exco members were found to have violated their oath of office.
The Negri Sembilan Palace in a statement said the members had taken and signed an oath and pledge of allegiance before the Yang di-Pertuan Besar on Aug 7, prior to their appointment to the state executive council.
The statement said they had also undertaken to protect and preserve the sovereignty of the state Constitution, and acknowledged the authority vested in the Dewan Keadilan dan Undang.
However, the exco members breached that oath by their actions on Sept 15 when they agreed on Tuanku Muhriz's removal as the Yang di-Pertuan Besar, it added.
In a press statement issued the following day, the exco members said an April 19 proclamation removing Tuanku Muhriz under Article 10 of the state laws had been signed and sealed by the lawful Undang (ruling chiefs) and became complete when Ismail signed it on Aug 3.
They said Tuanku Nadzaruddin Tuanku Ja'afar was now the Yang di-Pertuan Besar in place of Tuanku Muhriz.
On Monday, Mentri Besar Datuk Ismail Lasim said the exco will continue to function normally despite a decree from Tuanku Muhriz.
He said any action to dismiss or terminate an exco member's tenure without the Mentri Besar's advice or request constitutes a legal error, is unconstitutional and holds no legal force.
Ismail said he was neither consulted nor did he at any time advise on the dismissal of any Negri Sembilan exco member under Article 38(5) of the Laws of the Constitution of Negri Sembilan 1959.
As such, the excos position remains valid and they will carry out their duties as usual.
He said based on Article 40(1) of the state laws, the sovereign power of the Ruler in matters of administration shall be exercised on the advice of the Mentri Besar and the exco.
The power to dismiss or terminate the tenure of an exco member unilaterally is not enshrined within this discretionary power, he said.
Ismail said the state government will continue to defend the supremacy of the Constitution to ensure that administrative stability and the people's mandate are always preserved in accordance with the valid rule of law.
