TEN former Bar Council Presidents have questioned the action taken by the Negeri Sembilan State Executive Council (EXCO) in announcing the removal of the Ruler of Negeri Sembilan, Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir, on September 16.
They asserted that the move raised serious constitutional questions and concerns regarding the rule of law, noting that it was carried out without stated grounds, due process, or an inquiry.
In a joint statement dated September 21, 2026, they stated that the process for removing the Ruler of Negeri Sembilan is governed by Article 10 of the Laws of the Constitution of Negeri Sembilan 1959, which includes a requirement for a full and comprehensive inquiry to be conducted by the Undangs.
However, they claimed there was no evidence that such an inquiry had taken place, nor were there any publicly known charges or allegations of misconduct against Tuanku Muhriz.
They further alleged that Tuanku Muhriz was never informed of any allegations against him nor allowed to be heard.
The statement also questioned the validity of the Proclamation dated April 19, 2026, including allegations that the Menteri Besar, Datuk Ismail Lasim, signed the document under duress and subsequently lodged a police report.
They pointed out an inconsistency: the proclamation was dated April 19, yet Ismail only signed it on August 3, 2026. He was not the Menteri Besar on April 19.
They further contended that the EXCO lacked the mandate, jurisdiction, or constitutional authority to remove a state ruler.
They added that the invalidity of the proclamation had been confirmed by the Dewan Keadilan dan Undang and the Attorney General's Chambers, while the State Secretary's Office reportedly concurred with the Attorney General's Chambers' position and refused to proceed with the gazetting process.
All 10 former Bar Council presidents urged the Federal Government to intervene to resolve the issue and called on all parties to respect the Federal Constitution and the Laws of the Constitution of Negeri Sembilan 1959.
They also affirmed Tuanku Muhriz’s position as the rightful Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan, while warning that these developments could set a precedent for the constitutional monarchy system.
The statement was signed by Datuk Mah Weng Kwai, Datuk Kuthubul Zaman Bukhari, Datuk Yeo Yang Poh, Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, Ragunath Kesavan, Datuk Lim Chee Wee, Christopher Leong, Datuk George Varughese, Salim Bashir and Karen Cheah Yee Lynn.- September 21, 2026
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