PUTRAJAYA, Sept 15 (Bernama) -- Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Ismail Lasim’s claim that he was forced to sign a proclamation seeking to remove the 11th Yang Dipertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan should be left to the police to investigate, Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said.
The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) said it would be inappropriate to comment as the police had opened an investigation paper to probe whether duress or undue influence was involved in the signing process.
“I think, first and foremost, when there is an allegation of duress or undue influence, that is for the police to investigate.
“We should not be passing comments because the police may have already opened an investigation paper. So, let them determine whether there was duress or undue influence,” she told reporters after attending the Fashionista Ride: National Month ‘Two Celebrations, One Soul’ programme here today.
Azalina said she was confident that Negeri Sembilan UMNO and Barisan Nasional (BN) could find a way forward, given their understanding of the roles and relationship between the Menteri Besar and the Yang Dipertuan Besar.
“I believe we have to give Negeri Sembilan UMNO and the state executive council time and space to find a solution to this matter.
“We have to respect that they are looking into the matter. I believe the Federal Government and UMNO central leadership should not interfere because this is a state matter,” she said.
Yesterday, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said police had opened an investigation paper over Ismail’s claim that he signed the Instrument of Proclamation under duress and against his will.
On Sept 9, Ismail maintained that the widely circulated Instrument of Proclamation seeking to remove Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir as Yang Dipertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan had been signed against his will.
On another development, Azalina said she would leave it to Selangor UMNO to take action against a delegate from the state who allegedly made a joke about a priest at the recent UMNO General Assembly 2026.
She said religion was a sensitive issue and inappropriate analogies could lead to remarks being misconstrued.
“Likewise, if at their convention they used an analogy involving an ustaz or imam, we would also be upset. Religion is a sensitive issue, so as leaders, we must be careful,” she said.
-- BERNAMA