Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Ismail Lasim arrived at Istana Hinggap in Seremban on Monday morning for an audience with Yang Dipertuan Besar Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir amid the state’s ongoing crisis.
Ismail’s vehicle entered the palace compound at about 10.50am, followed by Tuanku Muhriz’s vehicle around 10 minutes later, according to Utusan Malaysia.
Sungai Ujong undang Faris Johari, Rembau undang Hassan Ab Hamid and Negeri Sembilan police chief Alzafny Ahmad were also seen entering the palace.
Audience follows Zahid’s directive
The meeting came two days after Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi directed Ismail to seek an audience with Tuanku Muhriz and the four undangs to find an amicable solution to the state’s ongoing crisis.
Zahid had also acknowledged the revocation of the appointments of the 10 state executive councillors and met all 25 Negeri Sembilan assemblymen from Barisan Nasional and Perikatan Nasional to discuss options for resolving the crisis.
Dispute over proclamation and exco appointments
Earlier this month, the Negeri Sembilan executive council issued a statement purportedly affirming a proclamation seeking to remove Tuanku Muhriz as Yang Dipertuan Besar. Ismail endorsed the statement a day later.
However, the Attorney-General’s Chambers said the statement was invalid, as the menteri besar and executive council did not have the authority to make such a declaration. The state secretary also refused to gazette the proclamation.
Tuanku Muhriz subsequently revoked the appointments of the 10 executive councillors for breaching their oaths of office and pledge of allegiance to the state ruler.
Zahid, who is also Barisan Nasional chairman, acknowledged the revocations and said the state government should continue functioning and serving the people.
Following his meeting with the state assemblymen, state Umno chief Jalaluddin Alias said the state government must continue to ‘function as usual’, adding that Ismail’s administration had ‘various methods’ to achieve this.
The latest audience at Istana Hinggap comes as efforts continue to find a resolution to the Negeri Sembilan crisis.
