Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Refutes Resignation Rumors Amid Royal Dispute

Menteri Besar Ismail Lasim publicly rejected a China Press report alleging he had signed a resignation letter, labeling the claim political maneuvering. He communicated his denial via WhatsApp to one outlet, insisting he remains in office. The controversy unfolds against a backdrop of a royal crisis that began in April, when customary chiefs announced the abdication of Yang di-Pertuan Besar Tuanku Muhriz and the succession of Tunku Nadzaruddin.

Ismail’s stance in the dispute has shifted, first claiming duress in signing a proclamation removing the ruler, then later affirming its validity. In response, the ruler revoked the entire state executive council on September 20, sparing only Ismail, and demanded a new council list that has yet to be submitted. Assemblyperson Asna Amin and press secretary Fasha Musthafa echoed Ismail’s denial, calling the resignation story gossip. UMNO chairperson Jalaluddin Alias appealed for space for the state leadership to settle the issue, noting that other parliamentary members should not intervene.