SEREMBAN: Mentri Besar Datuk Ismail Lasim has withdrawn his Sept 17 letter claiming that Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir was no longer the Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negri Sembilan.
Ismail confirmed that he had written to the Malay Rulers through the Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal, Tan Sri Syed Danial Syed Ahmad.
“Yes, I can confirm that I wrote to the Malay Rulers.
“The letter is self-explanatory.
“Those who have read it will understand (its contents),” he told reporters at the state-level Deepavali open house here yesterday.
It was reported that the Negri Sembilan government had officially withdrawn the letter sent to the Malay Rulers concerning the state’s royal institution, reaffirming its commitment to upholding the state constitution and customary traditions.
In the two-page letter dated Nov 10, Ismail said the decision had been made unanimously with the agreement of all 10 former state executive council members (excos).
The letter, signed by Ismail and co-signed by the 10 former excos, stated that the withdrawal of the earlier Sept 17 correspondence took into account a statement issued by the Malay Rulers on Oct 14 and a Seremban High Court order dated June 5.
The court order had maintained the status quo regarding Tuanku Muhriz’s position as the Yang di-Pertuan Besar.
In the letter, Ismail said the decision was made to uphold the supremacy of the Laws of the Constitution of Negri Sembilan 1959, preserve the order of constitutional monarchy and ensure the continuity of state administration in a peaceful and orderly manner.
On Sept 17, Ismail had publicly confirmed that the state executive council had endorsed an April 17 proclamation signed by one Undang and three other ruling chiefs, whose positions were in dispute, to remove Tuanku Muhriz as the state Ruler.
A formal letter was subsequently sent to the Conference of Rulers declaring Tunku Nadzaruddin Tuanku Ja’afar as the state’s new Ruler.
Asked whether the withdrawal marked the first step towards resolving the state’s constitutional and adat crisis, Ismail expressed confidence that it did.
Ismail also said he had written to the palace to seek an audience with Tuanku Muhriz to obtain his consent to open the state legislative assembly meeting proposed for Nov 26.
He explained that the proposed date for the opening of the assembly, the tabling of the state budget the following day and the four-day meeting beginning Nov 30 had been proposed by the state government and could be changed.
“What is important is that we will have to table the budget before the end of the year,” he said.
Asked about the vacant exco positions, Ismail said he could only comment after having an audience with Tuanku Muhriz.
Asked whether the 10 former excos would withdraw an originating summons at the Seremban High Court and a constitutional reference application at the Federal Court challenging Tuanku Muhriz’s revocation of their appointments, Ismail said he had no knowledge of the matter.
Tuanku Muhriz revoked the appointments of the 10 excos with effect from Sept 20 for allegedly violating their sworn oath of allegiance and loyalty to the Ruler and the royal institution.
