KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 17 — Former Negri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun has called on the people of the state to stand behind Yang di-Pertuan Besar Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir, as two Pakatan Harapan lawmakers questioned whether a state executive council statement affirming his removal represents the official position of the state government.
Aminuddin, who is also Negri Sembilan PKR chief, called for solidarity with Tuanku Muhriz and urged the public to defend the institution of constitutional monarchy.
“I call on all the people of Negeri Sembilan to stand united and pray for the well-being of His Royal Highness Tunku Muhriz, as well as to defend the sovereignty of the institution of constitutional monarchy.
“Reject leaders who betray the royal institution and violate the (state) constitution. Our loyalty is only to the king and country,” he said in a Facebook statement today.
Bahau assemblyman Teo Kok Seong, a former state exco member, meanwhile questioned whether a joint statement by exco members could be regarded as the official position of the state government.
He said official government positions or announcements were usually issued through the menteri besar or the state secretary’s office.
“Therefore, a joint statement by the exco members only reflects the position of the exco members concerned and should not be regarded as the official position of the state government,” he was quoted saying by Malaysiakini.
Nilai assemblyman and opposition leader J. Arul Kumar separately called for an immediate explanation over what he described as two different and seemingly contradictory statements concerning Tuanku Muhriz and the royal institution.
He was referring to a statement by Menteri Besar Datuk Ismail Lasim yesterday and the exco statement issued yesterday.
Ismail had said the menteri besar did not have unilateral power to remove a sitting ruler and had invoked the state constitution.
Arul said exco members could express differing views during discussions but the government’s position should be unified once a decision had been reached.
“If it is true that there are two conflicting statements regarding the same matter, this situation must be clarified immediately by the state government,” he was quoted as saying.
He also called on the state government to explain the decision reached at the exco meeting, including whether both statements were based on the same decision and, if not, which was valid.
The latest reactions come amid a months-long dispute over the Negeri Sembilan throne.
In its statement yesterday, the state exco said the April 19 proclamation removing Tuanku Muhriz had been signed and sealed by the legitimate Undang, and that the decision to remove him was the absolute prerogative of the Undang Yang Empat, the four ruling territorial chiefs who elect the state ruler.
It also said Ismail’s signature as menteri besar on August 3 completed the proclamation in accordance with the state constitution.
The statement, however, did not address the position of the Dewan Keadilan dan Undang (DKU), which said Article 10 of the state constitution, allowing the four chieftains to remove a ruler, requires a thorough enquiry.
Ismail had previously claimed he was forced to sign the proclamation on August 3 and lodged a police report over the matter.
