Negeri Sembilan gazettes revocation of 10 exco appointments

KUALA LUMPUR: The revocation of the appointments of 10 Negeri Sembilan executive councillors has been formally gazetted, with the move taking effect from Sept 20.

The gazette states that Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir withdrew his consent and cancelled their appointments under Article XXXVIII(5) of the Laws of the Constitution of Negeri Sembilan 1959.

According to the gazette, the 10 had taken and signed their oath and pledge of loyalty before Tuanku Muhriz on Aug 7 before assuming office.

It said the appointments were revoked after the councillors were deemed to have breached that pledge through their actions and statements on Sept 15.

The affected Exco members are Datuk Mohd Faizal Ramli, Datuk Zaifulbahri Idris, Datuk Mustapha Nagoor, Siow Kong Choon, Siti Nur Umaira Hasim, Datuk Mohd Asna Amin, Datuk Mohd Razi Mohd Ali, Suhaimizan Bizar, Mohd Fairuz Mohd Isa and Datuk Razali Abu Samah.

The gazette states that Article XXXVIII(5) provides that an executive councillor, other than the Menteri Besar, holds office for as long as the Yang di-Pertuan Besar gives his consent.

The revocation was first announced by the Negeri Sembilan Palace on Sept 20.

Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Ismail Lasim has since disputed the legal basis of the move and maintained that the existing Exco remains valid, setting up a constitutional disagreement over the councillors’ status.