A short clip filmed after Friday prayers in Kuala Pilah has become the most-watched moment so far in a constitutional dispute that has run in Negeri Sembilan since April.
What the video shows
On 16 October 2026, videos spread across social media showing the Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan, Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir, publicly rebuking the state’s Menteri Besar, Datuk Ismail Lasim. The encounter took place after Friday prayers at Masjid Kampung Beting in Kuala Pilah.
In the clip, the Ruler is heard saying he will not meet Ismail until the Menteri Besar retracts his claim that Tuanku Muhriz is no longer the Yang di-Pertuan Besar:
“Selagi dia tidak tarik balik apa yang dia kata, jangan datang jumpa saya.”
(“Until he retracts what he said, don’t come and see me.”)
According to news reports, the Ruler also referred to a letter Ismail allegedly sent to the Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal stating that an exco decision was valid and that Tuanku Muhriz was no longer Ruler. Ismail did not reply. He only gave the royal salute, while worshippers were heard calling out “Daulat Tuanku”.
A second clip appears to show Tuanku Muhriz declining Ismail’s handshake as he arrived at the mosque.
When those reports were published, the Istana had not issued an official statement, and the full context of the recordings had not been independently confirmed.
How the crisis got here
The confrontation follows six months of escalation. Below is a summary of the key events as reported by Free Malaysia Today.
April to June: the purported removal
- 19 April: Four men claiming to be undang (ruling chiefs) announced the removal of Tuanku Muhriz without disclosing grounds or evidence. Then-Menteri Besar Aminuddin Harun rejected the move the next day.
- 27 April to 7 May: Umno withdrew support for Aminuddin, but the move to change the government stalled. Pakatan Harapan and Umno later agreed to a ceasefire.
- 5 June: The state assembly was dissolved. The same day, Tunku Nadzaruddin Tuanku Ja’afar was purportedly proclaimed Ruler in Melaka. The palace declared it invalid, and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Tuanku Muhriz remained the recognised Ruler.
August: a new government
- 1 August: The Dewan Keadilan dan Undang (DKU) said three of the four chiefs were not undang at the time of the April proclamation. That night, the BN-PN alliance won a two-thirds majority in the state election.
- 2 August: Umno’s Ismail Lasim was sworn in as Menteri Besar before Tuanku Muhriz.
September: the signed proclamation
- 5 to 9 September: The four chiefs said Ismail had signed the removal proclamation and later produced the document. Ismail said he signed under coercion, called the proclamation invalid and lodged a police report.
- 16 to 17 September: Ismail’s exco declared the April removal legitimate and named Tunku Nadzaruddin as Ruler. Ismail endorsed the statement and ordered the proclamation gazetted. The Attorney-General’s Chambers said it had no legal effect, and the DKU reaffirmed Tuanku Muhriz.
- 20 to 24 September: Tuanku Muhriz revoked the appointments of all ten exco members except Ismail. Ismail disputed it, but the revocation was gazetted and the sacked members were barred from their offices.
- 25 to 27 September: Rais Yatim claimed trial to sedition over the proclamation. The Attorney-General affirmed the revocations, G25 called for Ismail to resign, and BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told Ismail to seek an audience with the Ruler.
Why the mosque moment matters
Ismail had been urged by his own coalition chairman to seek an audience with Tuanku Muhriz. The video suggests that door is now closed until he withdraws his position. A Menteri Besar who cannot meet his Ruler, and whose exco has been revoked, leaves Negeri Sembilan’s government in an unusual and uncertain position.
The questions now are whether Ismail will retract, whether Umno and Barisan Nasional leadership will step in, and how the pending court cases will be resolved. As of this writing, there are no reports that Ismail has withdrawn his statement.
Sources
- Berita Harian: Tuanku Muhriz tegur MB, enggan bertemu selagi kenyataan tidak ditarik balik
- Utusan Melayu Plus: ‘Selagi tidak tarik apa yang dikata, jangan jumpa saya’
- Malay Mail: ‘Until he retracts, go away’: Tuanku Muhriz rebukes Negeri Sembilan MB in public
- New Straits Times: Tuanku Muhriz has stern words with Negri MB
- Free Malaysia Today: Negeri Sembilan crisis, what we know so far