Negeri MB insists has no unilateral power over Yang Di-Pertuan Besar, but stays silent on alleged proclamation signing

On September 15th, in response to allegations concerning a disputed document allegedly signed to dethrone the Yang di-Pertuan Besar, Negeri Sembilan Mentri Besar Datuk Ismail Lasim clarified that any questions regarding the Instrument of Proclamation should be addressed under the Constitution of Negeri Sembilan.

Ismail emphasized that power emanates solely from the Constitution, distancing himself from having unilateral power in such matters.

Having lodged a police report and maintained loyalty to the ruling monarch, Ismail's administration is seeking resolution through judicial means while avoiding direct commentary on the document in question.

The issue has attracted attention from national political figures, potentially affecting the early days of Ismail's office.

SEREMBAN, Sept 15 — Negeri Sembilan Mentri Besar Datuk Ismail Lasim insisted today that he has no unilateral power over the position of the Yang di-Pertuan Besar, Tuanku Muhriz ibni Almarhum Tuanku Munawir, but stopped short of confirming or denying that he signed a disputed document at the centre of a growing constitutional row.

The state executive council, which Ismail chairs, said in a statement that questions over the so-called Instrument of Proclamation must be resolved strictly under the Laws of the Constitution of Negeri Sembilan 1959 (UUTKNS) and the principle of constitutional monarchy, "not as a political or personal matter."

The statement comes after the Undang Yang Empat — the state's four ruling chiefs — and other traditional leaders publicly alleged that Ismail signed a proclamation on August 3effecting the dethronement of Tuanku Muhriz.

According to the Undang, the document was signed at Istana Laguna Biru in Port Dickson on the same day Ismail was received in audience and installed as mentri besar. Datuk Maarof Mat Rashad, who identifies himself as Undang Luak Jelebu, has since produced what he says is a copy of the instrument bearing Ismail's signature, dated August 3 and invoking Article 10(2) of the UUTKNS.

Ismail has separately lodged a police report over the matter and has publicly reaffirmed his loyalty to Tuanku Muhriz as the reigning Yang di-Pertuan Besar.

He has also avoided journalists' questions on the episode, including after a closed-door meeting last week with Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who had sought a personal explanation from him over claims he was forced to sign the document.

His statement today did not address either the police report or the disputed document directly.

Instead, it laid out a five-point legal framework arguing that a proclamation "does not by itself create constitutional power," that the MB's involvement in any process under the UUTKNS does not amount to a power to determine the Ruler's position on his own, and that the matter should ultimately be settled through "judicial determination" if a legal dispute arises.

“In a system of Constitutional Monarchy, power must derive from the Constitution and the law,” the statement said.

“The Royal Institution, the Undang, the mentri besar, and the state government each hold a position and function determined by the Constitution.”

The dispute has already drawn in Umno's national leadership and threatens to overshadow the early weeks of Ismail's administration, which took office on August 2 following the Barisan Nasional–Perikatan Nasional coalition's state election win.

No date has been set for any court proceedings, and neither the palace nor the Undang Yang Empat have issued a formal response to Tuesday's statement.

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9月15日，针对涉嫌签署推翻国家元首的有争议文件的指控，森美兰州务大臣拿督依斯迈拉欣澄清，有关公告书的任何问题都应根据森美兰宪法解决。

伊斯梅尔强调，权力完全来源于宪法，他本人否认在此类事务上拥有单方面权力。

伊斯梅尔政府已向警方报案，并继续效忠于执政君主，目前正寻求通过司法途径解决问题，同时避免对相关文件发表直接评论。

这个问题引起了国家政治人物的关注，可能会影响伊斯梅尔执政初期的情况。

芙蓉9月15日——森美兰州务大臣拿督依斯迈拉欣今天坚称，他对国家元首端姑穆赫里兹·伊布尼·阿尔玛胡姆·端姑穆纳维尔的立场没有单方面的权力，但没有证实或否认他在日益严重的宪法争端中签署了一份有争议的文件。

由伊斯梅尔担任主席的州行政委员会在一份声明中表示，有关所谓“公告文书”的问题必须严格按照1959年森美兰州宪法（UUTKNS）和君主立宪制原则来解决，“而不是作为政治或个人事务”。

此前，该州的四位统治酋长（Undang Yang Empat）和其他传统领袖公开指控伊斯梅尔于 8 月 3 日签署了一份公告，废黜了端姑慕赫里兹。

据Undang称，该文件于伊斯梅尔觐见并就任州务大臣的同一天在波德申的拉古纳比鲁宫签署。自称Undang Luak Jelebu的Datuk Maarof Mat Rashad随后出示了一份据称是伊斯梅尔签名的文件副本，日期为8月3日，并援引了《乌特克尼什-纳格 ...

依斯迈已就此事单独向警方报案，并公开重申他对国家元首端姑慕力的忠诚。

他也一直回避记者就此事提出的问题，包括上周与巫统主席拿督斯里阿末扎希哈米迪举行闭门会议后，后者曾要求他亲自解释他是否被迫签署该文件。

他今天的声明既没有直接提及警方报告，也没有直接提及有争议的文件。

相反，它提出了一个五点法律框架，认为公告“本身并不产生宪法权力”，穆斯林委员会参与《统一国王国家法》下的任何程序并不构成自行决定统治者立场的权力，如果出现法律纠纷，最终应通过“司法裁决”来解决。

声明称：“在君主立宪制体制下，权力必须来源于宪法和法律。”

“皇家机构、州议会、州务大臣和州政府各自拥有宪法规定的地位和职能。”

这场争端已经牵扯到巫统的全国领导层，并有可能使伊斯梅尔政府上任的最初几周蒙上阴影。伊斯梅尔政府是在国民阵线-国民联盟赢得州选举后于8月2日上任的。

目前尚未确定任何法庭诉讼的日期，王室和Undang Yang Empat也未对周二的声明作出正式回应。

安华表示，马来西亚原则上同意支持马尔代夫提出的1亿美元无息贷款请求。

安华表示，马来西亚和马尔代夫将扩大在海上安全、清真食品和朝觐领域的合作。

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