KUALA LUMPUR, May 2 — Negeri Sembilan Umno will defer to party leadership on its next course of action following its withdrawal of support for the menteri besar, including any decision on a potential replacement, its chief Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias said today.
Jalaluddin said the state chapter would abide by decisions made by Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Harapan (PH) leadership, including whether the next menteri besar should come from outside Umno.
“We will wait and see what the leadership decides, be it BN or PH. It is not for Negeri Sembilan Umno to determine,” he told reporters when met outside Merdeka Hall at the World Trade Centre.
He stressed that the current political crisis was “extraordinary”, following the decision by 14 Umno assemblymen on April 27 to withdraw support for the menteri besar.
Jalaluddin said the move came after issues the group could no longer accept, adding that the crisis was triggered by what he described as mismanagement by the menteri besar that disrupted the state’s political harmony.
“This is not about politics, power or ‘tebuk atap’ (back door). This concerns governance and the institutions of adat and the Negeri Sembilan monarchy,” he said.
He added that the loss of confidence by the 14 assemblymen was final and not a shifting political stance.
“If we have pulled support and the menteri besar continues to govern, it means we have lost trust,” he said.
Jalaluddin reiterated that Umno Negeri Sembilan is prepared to take on the role of opposition if directed by party leadership, potentially until the next general election.
“What we will do next depends on Umno’s decision. We don’t mind being in the opposition and if we are to be in the opposition, we will remain so until GE16,” he said.
On speculation over a replacement menteri besar, including the possibility of a PKR candidate, he said the matter was premature.
He warned that public debate surrounding the issue risked creating confusion, particularly among younger Malaysians, and could harm the reputation of Negeri Sembilan’s adat institutions.
“The question now is not about individuals or positions, but about the responsibility of a menteri besar. We cannot allow a crisis like this to happen, especially one involving adat,” he said.
“When such matters are debated openly, many will not fully understand adat. This can lead to negative perceptions and confusion among youths and students,” he added.
Jalaluddin said Umno was compelled to act to prevent further damage.
Earlier in his speech, Jalaluddin said many had accused Umno of betraying the government, but they forget that in 2023, Umno Negeri Sembilan won 14 seats — the most among all parties.
In the 2023 Negeri Sembilan state polls, Umno secured 14 seats, followed by PKR (five), DAP (11), Perikatan Nasional (five), and Amanah (one).
Jalaluddin pointed out that with the strongest representation at the time, he could have moved to destabilise the government earlier if he had intended to do so.
“If I wanted to stir something, I could have done it then but I respected the federal leadership’s call to maintain peace and stability so that we could work together,” he said.
He said Umno had continued to play its role within the state government over the past two-and-a-half years, including holding four executive council (exco) positions.
Rejecting accusations of a “tebuk atap” (backdoor takeover), Jalaluddin said such claims were misplaced.
“Tebuk atap is when you try to take over the government from outside. We are already part of the government — we have exco positions and allocations. What ‘tebuk atap’ is this?” he asked.
He stressed that the withdrawal of support was prompted by dissatisfaction with the state government’s handling of a recent crisis, which he said could not be compromised.
“We are also close to the general election, but we cannot compromise when there is failure in governance,” he said.
Jalaluddin said Umno Negeri Sembilan would now sit in the opposition for as long as it believes the state government is not performing effectively.
He added that the party would focus on strengthening its position ahead of the next general election.
“We will do our best to win all seats. We do not need to cater to others’ feelings. As chairman of the state Umno machinery, it is my responsibility to ensure we are in a dominant position,” he said.
He also rejected claims that Umno’s actions were motivated by a desire for power or positions.
“Umno Negeri Sembilan is not greedy or hungry for posts. We did not want to disrupt the momentum, but we acted because we have principles we cannot abandon — integrity, and our promises to religion and nation,” he said.
Reaffirming the party’s stance, Jalaluddin ended with a firm message: “No retreat, no surrender.”
