Can the Yamtuan remove excos without MB’s advice? Sacked Negeri Sembilan councillors turn to apex court

Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Ismail Lasim (best) goes to an interview with state exco members in Seremban on September 24, 2026.– Bernama pic

By Malay Mail

Released: Wednesday, 21 Oct 2026 12:51 PM MYT

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21– Ten dismissed Negeri Sembilan executive council members have actually installed an extraordinary constitutional disagreement at the Federal Court, asking it to figure out if the Yang di-Pertuan Besar has the authority to withdraw their consultations without the suggestions of the menteri besar.

The suit challenges the choice by Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir to withdraw their visits, an order that worked on Sept 20 and was officially gazetted on Sept 24.

The candidates make up previous councillors Faizal Ramli, Zaifulbahri Idris, Mustapha Nagoor, Siow Kong Choon, Siti Nur Umairah Hashim, Asna Amin, Razi Ali, Suhaimizan Bizar, Fairuz Isa, and Razali Abu Samah, FMT reported.

Through a notification of movement lodged on Oct 14, the group petitioned the pinnacle court to rule on the constitutionality of their termination and state the cancellation null, space, and of no legal impact must it run counter to the state constitution.

The application names the Negeri Sembilan state secretary and the state federal government as the very first and 2nd participants respectively.

Central to the conflict is the scope of royal discretionary powers. The candidates are looking for judicial decision on whether the expression “at the ruler’s satisfaction” in the state charter gives unchecked authority on the sovereign to dismiss executive councillors at will, regardless of constitutional arrangements needing royal assent to line up with the suggestions of the head of federal government.

Tuanku Muhriz formerly removed all 10 executive council members of their posts for conduct the palace considered treasonous to their oaths of workplace.

The palace acted after the councillors openly backed a questionable statement asserting that Tuanku Muhriz was legally dismissed in April and declaring Tunku Nadzaruddin Tuanku Ja’afar as the state’s rightful ruler.

The royal family held that backing a competing plaintiff to the throne was entirely incompatible with their sworn constitutional responsibility of loyalty to the ruling sovereign.