SEREMBAN: A meeting between Mentri Besar Datuk Ismail Lasim and his state exco with Tunku Nadzaruddin Tuanku Ja'afar here has been cancelled.
A source said the meeting, which was supposed to be held at the Tuanku Ja’afar Gallery at 9am was cancelled due to security reasons.
"The authorities have advised parties not to proceed with the meeting due to security reasons.
"What I can confirm for now is that the meeting is off," he said on Wednesday (Sept 23).
Also scheduled to attend the meeting were the Undang of Johol and three other Undang whose positions are in dispute, the Tunku Besar Tampin and the former Dato' Shahbandar Sungei Ujong.
It was learned that there was a heavy police presence at the official residence of the Undang of Sungei Ujong located about 3km away from the gallery.
It was also learnt that the group had gathered there before deciding to move to the gallery but were barred from doing so.
There was also a small police presence at the gallery. A small group of Tuanku Muhriz was also present in a show of solidarity with Tuanku Muhriz.
In a media invite on Monday evening (Sept 23), the organisers said the event was an "ice-breaking" session to strengthen ties between the Mentri Besar, the exco members and Tunku Nadzaruddin following his proclamation as the 12th Yang di-Pertuan Besar by the Undang and Tunku Besar Tampin.
Several individuals began gathering at the Tuanku Ja'afar Gallery as early as 8am.
These included the former Undang of Jelebu Datuk Maarof Mat Rashad, state Speaker Datuk Seri Dr Awaludin Said and assemblymen from Barisan Nasional and Perikatan Nasional.
However, they left just before 9am for an unknown destination.
A short while later, the media was told the gathering would take place at a hotel located less than a kilometre away from the gallery.
When the media arrived, they saw vehicles belonging to the Mentri Besar, the state Speaker and several state exco members were seen in the valet parking area.
Checks later revealed that Ismail and members of his administration were having breakfast in the coffee house, which was restricted to media personnel.
However, around 10.30am, Ismail and his team left abruptly.
The source said Ismail and his team had a brief meeting on current matters. Also present were several backbenchers.
On June 5, the Undang (ruling chiefs) and the Tunku Besar Tampin had proclaimed Tunku Nadzaruddin as the 12th Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negri Sembilan.
However, the Dewan Keadilan dan Undang (DKU) firmly rejected the proclamation and declared it unconstitutional, null, and void.
The DKU is the highest authority governing matters related to the four Undang in Negri Sembilan.
DKU secretary Raja Norazli Raja Nordin said the act violated 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 the mandatory investigation provided under the state constitution and misused official titles
The DKU said the signing of a document by the six individuals to depose Tuanku Muhriz on Sept 5 was also an act of treason.
The DKU maintained that Tuanku Muhriz remained the state's legitimate Yang di-Pertuan Besar. It stressed that "so long as the office is lawfully occupied," there is no vacancy or designated successor.
The DKU said the Mentri Besar and the state exco also did not have the jurisdiction to determine the validity of the said proclamation or the position of the Yang di-Pertuan Besar.
It said that according to Article 16 of the state laws, matters related to Malay customs, including the selection, appointment, abdication, and removal from office of the Yang di-Pertuan Besar and the Undang, fall under the jurisdiction of the DKU.
The DKU said its advice on such matters was final and cannot be challenged or questioned in any court on any grounds whatsoever.
On Sept 17, the Attorney-General’s Chambers issued an official statement declaring that the Mentri Besar and the state exco had no constitutional or unilateral powers to remove Tuanku Munawir, rendering a purported proclamation to depose him invalid and unconstitutional.
