Negeri Sembilan exco member confirms getting palace dismissal letter

SEREMBAN, Sept 21 — Negeri Sembilan State Executive Councillor Suhaimizan Bizar has confirmed receiving a formal letter revoking his appointment with immediate effect last night.

Suhaimizan, who is the Gemencheh assemblyman and held the Health, Unity, Information, National Integration and Non-Governmental Organisations portfolio, declined to comment further on the circumstances surrounding the dismissal, Sinar Harian reported.

“I did receive the letter last night via WhatsApp. But I cannot comment. Sorry.

“I’m also not sure who sent it, I think it was from the Palace.”.

Efforts to contact other affected state executive councillors to ascertain further developments were unsuccessful.

The termination follows a royal decree by Negeri Sembilan’s Yang di-Pertuan Besar Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir, who stripped the state’s executive councillors of their posts with immediate effect, stating that they breached their oaths of office through actions and statements made on September 15.

In a statement last night, Istana Besar Seri Menanti noted that under Article XXXVIII(5) of the Laws of the Constitution of Negeri Sembilan 1959, members of the State Executive Council hold office at the pleasure of the Yang di-Pertuan Besar.

The palace noted that all council members had taken and signed their oaths and pledges of allegiance before Tuanku Muhriz on August 7, prior to their official appointments.

Under that oath, councillors pledged allegiance to the Ruler and the royal institution, undertook to defend and preserve the state constitution, and recognized the authority vested in the Dewan Keadilan dan Undang.

The royal rebuke stems from the September 15 meeting where the state executive council unanimously resolved to endorse an Instrument of Proclamation concerning Tuanku Muhriz’s purported removal from the throne, instructing the state secretary to proceed with its official gazettement.

Menteri Besar Datuk Ismail Lasim confirmed that the state administration had collectively determined the proclamation to be valid.