‘Two Rulers’ bombshell in Negri Sembilan

IT was about an hour before midnight when Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun stood under the porch of his official residence in Seremban to announce the dissolution of the state legislative assembly.

The Mentri Besar was a bundle of nerves as he stumbled over his words, telling the media that he had met with the Ruler or Yang di-Pertuan Besar at 8.30am, before correcting himself that the meeting was at 8.30pm, to get the royal consent to dissolve the Negri Sembilan legislative assembly.

He also seemed a little confused about the dissolution date and had to turn to one of those beside him for clarification.

Aminuddin side-stepped questions from the media whether the move was valid given claims that dissolving the state assembly requires the consent of the Ruler, Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir, as well as the four territorial chieftains or Undang Yang Empat.

Aminuddin has been at the centre of the worst political crisis in Negri Sembilan history.

The royal crisis that pitched the Ruler against the chieftains has plunged the state government into limbo, leaving the Mentri Besar with little choice but to seek a fresh mandate.

It has been a stressful time for Aminuddin although he was smiling throughout the press conference while everyone around him looked worried to death.

He is either a good actor or oblivious to the fact that this would be the night before the tempest.

News of the snap election was still sinking in for Negri Sembilan folk the next day when another bombshell dropped - a new Ruler, Tunku Nadzaruddin Tuanku Ja’afar had been proclaimed.

The tall and patrician-looking Tunku Nadzaruddin, aged 66, is the youngest son of the late and former Ruler Tuanku Ja’afar Tuanku Abdul Rahman.

He was supposed to have been sworn in at the official residence of the Tunku Besar Tampin, a senior noble who is aligned to the powerful Undang Yang Empat.

An altercation ensued outside the gates of the official residence when the police team prevented the entourage that included three chieftains, the Tunku Besar Tampin and Tan Sri Dr Rais Yatim, who is the foremost authority on the state’s unique adat perpatih system, from entering.

They were eventually allowed in but the man of the moment, Tunku Nadzaruddin, was unable to join them because, according to Rais, the police would not allow him to leave the hotel where he had put up.

That explained why the entourage had to carry out their agenda in the Melaka hotel where Tunku Nadzaruddin, dressed in a lavender colour baju Melayu with a keris tucked at the waist, was eventually sworn in.

Meanwhile, the incumbent Ruler, known for his shock of white hair and bushy moustache, got some much needed back-up from the Prime Minister, who basically declared that Putrajaya does not recognise the newly-proclaimed Ruler.

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim played a key role in the Thailand-Cambodia ceasefire and he could have used his prestige and experience to facilitate a peace deal in this royal conflict.

“It is difficult for the common folk to grasp the situation but the longer this drags on, the more disrepute it brings to the institution of the state.

“It’s tragic that the warring parties cannot sit down and talk it through. One side has to climb down but my sense is that the situation has reached a point of no return,” said lawyer and political analyst Ivanpal S. Grewal.

Commentators critical of what happened have mocked the proclamation of a new ruler.

However, retired headmaster Kamarulzaman Habibur Rahman said people from outside do not understand that Negri Sembilan exists between two realms.

“There is constitutional law which governs the way the state is run and there is the unique adat perpatih system that dictates our culture and traditions,” said Kamalruzaman who taught in a school in Jelebu.

The Ruler in Negri Sembilan does not have ascribed status like the royalty in other states.

Under the adat perpatih system, the Undang Yang Empat are empowered to elect the Ruler from two noble families. The chieftains are constitutionally known as co-Rulers and wield their own unique set of powers.

Calling for fresh elections seems like a way out of this conundrum.

Given that Pakatan is throwing its support behind Tuanku Muhriz, a decisive win for Pakatan in the state polls will enable Pakatan leaders to carry their support forward.

“Part of the legitimacy of rulers comes from the support and affection of the people. Who the people recognise as their Ruler is an important factor that goes beyond laws and tradition,” said Ivanpal.

Pakatan also needs a new candidate for the Mentri Besar post because it is evident this job is too big for Aminuddin.

Was the dissolution of the state assembly done according to the state constitution? According to various reports, consent to dissolve the state assembly has to be done by the Ruler and the Undang Yang Empat.

Will the state election proceed without more controversy?

There has been such a clash of ego, pride and ambition, with neither side willing to step back, take a deep breath and meet halfway. There has also been this barrage of tit-for-tat that drives the rift deeper and wider.

Umno has kept to the background after being bashed for pulling support from the Mentri Besar but that has not stopped accusations that the party is taking advantage of the crisis.

Umno is probably as confused as the average person about where this crisis is going and its effect on voter sentiment.

Meanwhile, few can say for sure whether Tunku Nadzaruddin is the new Ruler or if Tuanku Muhriz is still the presiding Ruler.

One has the support of Putrajaya, the other was proclaimed by the Undang Yang Empat.

However, neither can command the moral mandate for as long the conflict rages on.

The views expressed here are entirely the writer’s own