KUALA LUMPUR (May 6): Four Negeri Sembilan chieftains and two others have filed a court case at the Seremban High Court wanting a stay of the April 17 decision by the Dewan Keadilan and Undang that removed the Sungei Ujong Undang, until the meeting minutes are provided.
The plaintiffs are Datuk Mubarak Thahak (Undang Sungei Ujong), Datuk Maarof Mat Rashid (Undang Jelebu), Datuk Muhammed Abdullah (Undang Johol), Datuk Abd Rahim Yasin (Undang Rembau), Tunku Syed Razman Tunku Syed Idrus Al Qadri (Tengku Besar Tampin) and Datuk Seri Badarudin Abdul Khalid (Datuk Shahbandar Sungei Ujong).
They named the Dewan Keadilan and Undang, its secretary Raja Norazli Raja Nordin and the Negeri Sembilan government as respondents in the application filed by Messrs Deidra Sharina & Co.
In their originating summons, which they also filed a certificate of urgency — they sought a declaration that as plaintiffs and members of the Dewan Keadilan and Undang, they are entitled to get a copy of the minutes of April 17 this year, and an order for the Dewan Keadilan and Undang and Raja Norazli to produce the minutes.
They are also seeking to suspend the implementation of the decision to remove Mubarak until they are given the meeting minutes.
The matter has now been fixed before the Seremban High Court on May 13.
The Johol Undang provided details of what transpired
In an affidavit in support by Muhammed sighted by The Edge, Muhammed said that he and the others, except Mubarak, were summoned by the Dewan Keadilan and Undang on April 16. This was one day before the meeting in which Mubarak was removed, where they alleged that the notice for the meeting should have been issued seven days in advance.
Furthermore, Muhammed said they were not informed about the agenda of the meeting chaired by the Yang di-Pertuan Besar Negeri Sembilan Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir.
On arrival, they were informed that the meeting agenda was to discuss Mubarak’s issue, and four invited individuals attended the Dewan Keadilan and Undang meeting.
Muhammed said three of the invited individuals had previously been expelled from customary roles in Sungai Ujong, while the fourth is the daughter of an expelled senior leader. He added that despite objections to their presence, the meeting continued.
Raja Norazli, Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun and the state secretary who were also in attendance were aware of the matter and objection.
Muhammed claimed that despite the objection, Tuanku Muhriz allegedly unilaterally decided to remove Mubarak and for these reasons they wanted the physical copy of the minutes.
The move is the latest in the constitutional crisis in Negeri Sembilan sparked by a move by territorial chieftains to depose the state’s ruler on April 19. The attempt failed as Aminuddin sided with Tuanku Muhriz.
Aminuddin announced that the state government does not recognise the ouster of the Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan as one of the Undangs, Mubarak, had been removed from his office before their joint proclamation.
The situation escalated when on April 27, Barisan Nasional (BN), which holds 14 assembly seats in Aminuddin’s government, reportedly declared it had no confidence in the current menteri besar. Tuanku Muhriz however decreed that Aminuddin would stay on as the Negeri Sembilan MB.
On Tuesday (May 5), it was announced that 29-year-old accountant Muhammad Faris Johari was appointed as the new 11th Datuk Undang Sungai Ujong.