TUANKU Muhriz Tuanku Munawir has been invited to attend the Conference of Rulers meeting from tomorrow till Oct 15.
The invitation from Sultan Nazrin Azlan Shah of Perak, who will chair the council, strengthens the legitimacy of the Negeri Sembilan ruler whose position had been repeatedly reaffirmed by the state Dewan Keadilan dan Undang (DKU).
According to reports in The Straits Times (Singapore), Tuanku Muhriz informed Sultan Nazrin that he will only attend the pre-council meeting on Oct 13.
The pre-council is not attended by His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, so as to preserve the sanctity of state-level interests before meeting federal representatives, including Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Sources informed The Straits Times that Tuanku Muhriz is scheduled to preside over the appointment of a new Undang for Jelebu on Oct 14.
Tuanku Muhriz has held a public stance against corruption and abuse of power, particularly the appointment of judges, which has made him some powerful enemies amongst Malaysia’s elite.
These include UMNO leaders who are spearheading the move to pardon former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Tunku Nadzaruddin Tuanku Jaafar - proclaimed by three former and one current Undang as the new Yang di-Pertuan Besar- has been snubbed by Sultan Nazrin.
The Straits Times learnt that Tunku Nadzaruddin has not been invited, despite making repeated requests through various rulers and the Menteri Besar, Datuk Ismail Lasim, to secure an invitation in place of Tuanku Muhriz.
In a strongly worded statement recently, the DKU reaffirmed its position that Tuanku Muhriz remains the legitimate ruler and said the various documents issued by a rival group did not affect his constitutional position.
The 17-page statement was the DKU’s most comprehensive response yet to the dispute, which centres on a purported April 19 proclamation seeking to remove Tuanku Muhriz and subsequent attempts to give effect to it.
The DKU said the April 19 document failed to meet the mandatory requirements of Article 10 of the Negeri Sembilan Constitution, including the requirement for a “complete enquiry” before the former Undangs could call on the Yang di-Pertuan Besar to step down.
The DKU also rejected the validity of a gathering held on September 5 and described by the rival group as a “special sitting”.
It said there was only one DKU under the state Constitution and that the September 5 gathering had not been convened with Tuanku Muhriz’s consent or through the DKU secretary.
It therefore did not constitute a sitting of the constitutional body, the DKU said.
The gathering also took place while an interim injunction issued by the High Court on June 5 remained in force, it added.
The injunction had barred the plaintiffs in the proceedings, who include individuals behind the disputed documents, from holding or participating in meetings purporting to be meetings of the DKU and from taking steps that could alter the status quo concerning its administration and affairs.
The DKU also rejected two letters dated September 30 and described as “warkah”, which were sent to the Chief Secretary to the Government and the Attorney-General.
The letters sought, among other things, federal intervention over the position of the State Secretary and called for documents issued in the name of Tuanku Muhriz not to be given effect without the group’s approval.
The DKU said the individuals who signed the letters had no constitutional authority to issue such instructions.
It described the letters as an act of “derhaka” (treason) and said they could potentially amount to criminal offences under the Penal Code.
The DKU further warned state and federal civil servants against acting on instructions from individuals whose claims to authority were disputed.
The DKU also rejected the suggestion that Negeri Sembilan has a collective or multiple Rulers comprising the Yang di-Pertuan Besar and the Ruling Chiefs. – October 12, 2026
