THE customary council responsible for appointing the 22nd Undang Luak Rembau has rejected claims that the selection of Datuk Sedia Raja Hassan Ab Hamid was influenced by Istana Seri Menanti, insisting the process was carried out strictly in accordance with Adat Perpatih.
Chairman of Kerapatan Buapak Lapan Kampung Waris Biduanda Dua Carak, Datuk Juan Zulkipli Shamsudin, stated that the authority to choose an Undang rests solely with Luak Rembau through its established customary process, with no role played by the palace in determining the candidate.
He explained that the vacancy arose following the death of the 21st Undang Luak Rembau, Datuk Lela Maharaja Muhamad Sharip Othman, on May 15, 2024.
Under Adat Perpatih, Juan said the responsibility for selecting a successor lies with the Biduanda heirs, Buapak and Ibu Soko of Waris Biduanda Nan Dua Carak, through a formal customary assembly.
“The assembly unanimously selected Hassan Ab Hamid, a respected retired educator, to become the 22nd Undang Luak Rembau,” he said in a statement today.
Only after the selection was completed did representatives seek an audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negri Sembilan to obtain royal consent for the date of the Istiadat Kejadian, he added.
Juan stressed that the palace’s role is to uphold and safeguard the state’s customary institutions rather than participate in the selection itself.
“The customary system begins with the community, while the Yang di-Pertuan Besar serves as trustee for the continuity of Adat Perpatih and the state’s institutions,” he said.
The council also dismissed the claim by Abdul Rahim Yasin, who has proclaimed himself the 22nd Undang Luak Rembau, saying his appointment has no standing under customary law.
Juan alleged that Abdul Rahim’s selection did not comply with several established customary procedures and that he had also failed to fulfil the requirements for the royal ceremony required to formalise the appointment.
“As such, his appointment is not recognised under adat,” he said.
The council expressed confidence that Hassan, who now bears the title Datuk Sedia Raja, would uphold Adat Perpatih, preserve harmony between the Undang institution, the Yang di-Pertuan Besar and the people, and help put an end to speculation surrounding the succession.
Yesterday, Yang di-Pertuan Besar Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir formally proclaimed the 67-year-old Hassan as the 22nd Undang Luak Rembau during the Istiadat Menzahirkan Kejadian Undang at Istana Seri Menanti.
The ceremony saw Hassan and his wife, Asmah Yaakob, escorted to the palace alongside about 300 members of the Luak Rembau delegation before the customary proceedings commenced. – June 28, 2026
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