PETALING JAYA: Datuk Azrin Khairi’s proclamation as the 17th Undang of Luak Jelebu has run straight into a controversy.
His appointment is not valid and is not recognised under the luak’s ancient customary rules, says the Lembaga Adat Luak Jelebu, the board that governs the territorial district.
The board’s secretariat said in a statement yesterday that the process leading to the proclamation did not follow the true principles and rules of.
The state’s Ruler, Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir, had consented to the proclamation of Azrin, a senior general manager at Telekom Malaysia Pahang, as the 17th Undang in a ceremony at the Istana Besar Seri Menanti in Kuala Pilah on Wednesday.
In his royal address, the Yang di-Pertuan Besar said adat could not be defended if its rules were breached.
The secretariat, however, said Azrin was selected and appointed “without the involvement, reference or absolute consent of the majority” of the Datuk Lembaga, who lawfully hold their titles by lineage and ancient custom.
The secretariat said any ceremony that bypassed the telapak waris – a customary institution at luak level – did not comply with Adat Perpatih or the guidelines for installing the Undang.
It said Jelebu’s Datuk Lembaga had lodged a police report on Oct 12 to object to the ceremony.
The board said it would keep defending genuine adat to protect the royal institution and the luak from interference that went against hereditary tradition.
The Dewan Keadilan dan Undang (DKU) had declared the Jelebu post vacant on July 31 after accepting the removal of Datuk Maarof Mat Rashad as the 16th Undang under the luak’s customs, effective May 31, 2023.
However, Jelebu’s Datuk Lembaga claimed the DKU meeting was unlawful and maintained that Maarof remained the rightful Undang.
Azrin had also been proclaimed Undang at a customary ceremony in Kampung Mengkan, Kuala Klawang, on Aug 28.
A group of Datuk Lembaga had also opposed that ceremony.
Maarof was among the four Undang who declared that Tuanku Muhriz had been removed as Yang di-Pertuan Besar on April 19.
