SEREMBAN: Negri Sembilan Mentri Besar Datuk Ismail Lasim should stop blaming the previous state government for the ongoing constitutional and adat crisis, says Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun.
Aminuddin, who was mentri besar from 2018 until this year, said every action or decision he made can be evaluated based on records, documents and timelines.
He also urged Ismail to own up to his own "personal missteps" and not resort to manipulation to avoid responsibility.
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"When the previous government is accused of being the root cause of this crisis, the people have a right to know exactly what alleged wrongdoing is being referred to," he said in a Facebook post.
"What action am I (supposed) to have failed to take and which provision of the Laws of the Constitution of Negri Sembilan 1959 was allegedly violated?
"And when exactly did this alleged violation take place?"
On Thursday (Sept 24), Ismail said his government had inherited the crisis from Aminuddin's administration which, he claimed, had failed to manage it.
Aminuddin said while he was mentri besar, a proclamation document dated April 19 was presented to him to be signed.
The document was to remove Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir as the state Ruler and recognise Tunku Nadzaruddin Tuanku Ja'afar as his successor.
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"I made the decision not to sign that document.
"The issue involving Tuanku Muhriz concerns the process itself.
"Was it complete? Or was it flawed from the very beginning?" he wrote.
Aminuddin said Article 10 of the state laws does not merely touch upon the powers concerning the position of the Yang di-Pertuan Besar, but also stipulates the process that must be fulfilled, including issues related to a full and complete inquiry.
He said at the time, there was also a dispute regarding the standing of one of the involved parties as the Undang of Sungei Ujong.
"In a situation where such questions existed, I took a stand based on sound legal advice that a mentri besar should not affix his signature to a document with such monumental implications for the Royal institution as long as the questions surrounding its process and legitimacy remained unclear.
"This was my stance, and praise be to God, today this stance remains unchanged, and I do not qualify myself as someone who was 'coerced'."
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Aminuddin said that on Sept 17, the Attorney General's Chambers (AGC) took the position that the proclamation dated April 19 which Ismail also signed was invalid because, in its view, the mandatory requirements of Article 10 were not complied with.
The AGC, he said, also emphasised that the mentri besar and the state executive council do not have the unilateral power to declare the office of the Yang di-Pertuan Besar vacant.
"I stand by the position of the AGC, which holds greater authority, and I am prepared to take responsibility for every decision I made during my tenure as mentri besar.
"If any of my decisions are to be questioned, present the relevant documents, dates and legal provisions and I will answer based on the records," he said.
Aminuddin said Ismail also needed to be honest in explaining why he signed the proclamation and what were the actual circumstances that led him to subsequently claim he was coerced into signing.
"That question cannot be answered simply by blaming the previous government," he added.
