A SERIES of Threads posts defending Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Ismail Lasim after his public dressing-down by Yang di-Pertuan Besar Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir has drawn scrutiny, with screenshots showing several accounts with few or no followers publishing strikingly similar messages within a short span of time.
The posts portrayed Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir as ‘overly emotional’ during his exchange with Ismail, while depicting the Menteri Besar as calm, patient and respectful towards the royal institution.
Several accounts also referred to Tuanku Muhriz as the “former YDPB”, a description that has raised questions amid the ongoing dispute over the Negeri Sembilan throne.
The similarities have fuelled speculation that the posts could be part of a coordinated effort to influence public opinion in Ismail’s favour.
However, it cannot be established whether the accounts are operated by bots (a computer program that works automatically) or linked to UMNO.
In the video circulating on social media, Tuanku Muhriz is heard questioning Ismail over a letter which the Ruler said had been sent to the Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal, stating that he was no longer the Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan.
The exchange has brought renewed attention to the wider dispute over the state’s royal succession, including the controversy surrounding an April 19 proclamation purporting to replace Tuanku Muhriz.
Yet the posts highlighted in the screenshots appear to focus largely on the Ruler during the confrontation and Ismail’s response, rather than the constitutional questions at the heart of the dispute.
The pattern has prompted questions over whether the accounts are expressing individual opinions or amplifying a common narrative that casts the Menteri Besar as the victim of the confrontation.
The repeated use of the word “former” is also significant, though the DKU, Attorney-General and Chief Secretary have repeatedly emphasised that Tuanku Muhriz’s position is undisputed.
Who operates the accounts, whether their activity was coordinated and what their agenda is remain unclear.
No evidence has yet been presented to establish a direct link between the accounts and UMNO. – October 18, 2026
