KUALA LUMPUR: The dispute involving Negri Sembilan royals and the state administration will be over soon in accordance with the state constitution, says Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
The Deputy Prime Minister said that the ultimate objective is for the state administration to run smoothly for the sake of the people.
"The problems in Negri Sembilan will be resolved as soon as possible.
"We will do whatever necessary, provided that the problems faced by the people of Negri are resolved and that the state administration runs smoothly and operates in accordance with the state constitution," he said after attending the Deepavali open house held by People's Progressive Party (PPP), a Barisan Nasional component party.
Also in attendance were PPP president Datuk Dr J. Loga Bala Mohan and MIC secretary-general Datuk Seri M. Saravanan.
The crisis in Negri Sembilan started with a dispute between the four Undang and the 11th Yang di-Pertuan Besar Tuanku Muhriz ibni Almarhum Tuanku Munawir over who should be the state's ruler.
On Sept 17, state Mentri Besar Datuk Ismail Lasim 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.
He then sent a formal letter to the Conference of Rulers declaring Tunku Nadzaruddin Tuanku Ja'afar as the "new" Yang di-Pertuan Besar.
On Saturday (Nov 14), the Negri Sembilan government officially withdrew its letter sent to the Malay Rulers regarding the state's royal institution, reaffirming its commitment to uphold the state constitution and customary traditions.
The letter noted that the retraction of the earlier Sept 17 correspondence took into account a statement issued by the Malay Rulers on Oct 14 as well as a Seremban High Court order dated June 5.
The court order had maintained the status quo regarding the position of Negri Sembilan Yang di-Pertuan Besar Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir.
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 runs in a peaceful and orderly manner.
