Tuanku Muhriz rebukes Ismail Lasim after Friday prayers, refuses an audience

KUALA PILAH: Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir publicly rebuked Menteri Besar Datuk Ismail Lasim after Friday prayers at a mosque here, refusing to receive him in audience until a claim about the throne is withdrawn.

The exchange is contained in a video that circulated widely on social media on Friday and was reported by several news portals that day and on Saturday.

In the recording, which runs about 50 seconds, the Ruler is reported to have questioned why Ismail wanted an audience after sending a letter to the Keeper of the Rulers' Seal stating that he was no longer Yang di-Pertuan Besar.

"Until he retracts what he said, do not come and see me," the Ruler said, according to Utusan Melayu Plus and several other portals.

He was also reported to have said in English, "Go away, I don't want to see you," and to have asked whether he was still the Tuanku of the state.

Ismail was seen only raising his hands in the traditional salutation and was reported to have replied "Ampun Tuanku" without offering any explanation at the scene.

The Star, Berita Harian and Malaysiakini reported that the encounter took place at Masjid Kariah Beting in Kuala Pilah, within the Umno division Ismail himself heads.

The authenticity of the recording has not been independently confirmed. As of this report, no statement had been issued by the Negeri Sembilan palace, the state government or Ismail about what happened after Friday prayers, and the full contents of the letter referred to in the recording have not been disclosed.

Hours after the recording spread, Ismail posted on Facebook about the Friday sermon, which touched on humility and restraining the ego. Malaysiakini reported that the post did not address the accusations the Ruler had raised.

Ismail, 67, was sworn in as Menteri Besar before Tuanku Muhriz on Aug 2. He is the Senaling assemblyman, Negeri Sembilan Umno information chief and Umno Kuala Pilah division chief.

The dispute over the throne began with a proclamation dated April 19, said to have been issued by the Undang Yang Empat to remove Tuanku Muhriz and recognise Tunku Nadzaruddin Tuanku Ja'afar as Yang di-Pertuan Besar.

The Dewan Keadilan dan Undang has maintained that the proclamation is invalid, including on July 31 and Sept 13, and that Tuanku Muhriz remains the lawful Yang di-Pertuan Besar.

On Aug 3, a day after Ismail was sworn in, parties claiming to be Undang produced a document said to bear his signature in support of the removal. Ismail later said he had signed under duress, and lodged a police report on Sept 8.

A state executive council meeting on Sept 15 then decided that the proclamation was valid and directed that gazetting proceed. The Attorney General's Chambers said on Sept 17 that the proclamation was invalid because it did not meet the mandatory requirements of Article X of the Laws of the Constitution of Negeri Sembilan 1959.

Tuanku Muhriz subsequently revoked the appointments of 10 state executive council members with effect from Sept 20, on the ground that they had breached their oath of office, and the revocation was gazetted on Sept 24. The former executive councillors filed a court action challenging the revocation, and the case is set to be heard on Oct 21.

Ismail's own post was not touched by the revocation.

On Friday, the Malaysian Bar urged that constitutional procedure and natural justice be observed in resolving the crisis.

Its president, Anand Raj, said Article X(1) of the Laws of the Constitution of Negeri Sembilan requires a full inquiry by the Undang before the Yang di-Pertuan Besar can be asked to withdraw from his functions or to abdicate.

"No contemporaneous record has been published to show that any such enquiry was ever held," he said.

The right to be heard applies to the Yang di-Pertuan Besar as it does to ordinary citizens, Anand Raj said, citing the 1962 Privy Council case of B Surinder Singh Kanda v The Government of the Federation of Malaya.

"His Royal Highness is entitled to no less protection," he said.

The Bar also sought an explanation of why the Menteri Besar announced the removal on Sept 16 after claiming in a Sept 8 police report that he had signed the document under duress, and of the legal basis for suspending the State Secretary and the State Legal Adviser on Sept 22.

It further questioned on what basis the state administration was continuing to operate after the appointments of all executive council members were revoked.

Earlier, on Oct 14, the Conference of Rulers called on outside parties not to interfere in or politicise the Negeri Sembilan throne dispute.

In a statement issued by the Keeper of the Rulers' Seal, Tan Sri Syed Danial Syed Ahmad, the Malay Rulers said the dispute should be resolved in accordance with custom, the law and the Laws of the Constitution of Negeri Sembilan 1959, and urged the public not to spread unverified information.

After the recording spread, Amanah deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa urged Umno to clarify whether it knew of or endorsed Ismail's sending of the letter, and said its full contents should be made public.

Negeri Sembilan Keadilan communications director Shariman Che Deris said Ismail needed to answer the matters the Ruler had raised in public.

Umno has yet to issue an official statement on the matter.

What took place in the recording, including the contents of the letter referred to, remains an allegation that has not been confirmed by any authority or official institution.