KUALA LUMPUR — All Negeri Sembilan State Executive Council (Exco) members have been barred from entering their offices at Wisma Negeri since Wednesday and are also prevented from carrying out their official duties, said Menteri Besar Datuk Ismail Lasim.
Ismail said the directive was conveyed verbally by the authorities, with no written order issued, Sinar Harian reported.
“I was informed that there is a prohibition order or directive preventing Exco members from entering their respective offices.
“It is not only that they cannot enter their Exco offices, but they are also not allowed to carry out their duties as Exco members,” he told a press conference at a hotel here on Thursday.
He urged the relevant authorities to immediately review the directive, including its basis and scope, while taking into account that the dispute remains unresolved.
Ismail said the review was necessary to ensure state administration and public services were not disrupted.
“This request is made through proper channels without preventing the authorities from carrying out their security responsibilities.
“I urge all parties to give space for the state government and the legal process to resolve the ongoing dispute,” he said.
He added that the state government would continue to act in a respectful manner, uphold the institutions of the Negeri Sembilan Royal House and prioritise the interests of the people.
Ismail also said he had not been consulted or, at any point, advised on the removal of any Exco member under Article 38(5) of the Negeri Sembilan State Constitution.
“Once again, I want to emphasise that the existing Exco members remain valid and will continue carrying out their duties as usual.
“This is important because government administration must continue and the interests of the people must be prioritised,” he said.
He said preventing Exco members from entering their offices, holding Exco meetings and performing their duties would effectively deny the rights of the people and potentially disrupt the state administration.
Ismail maintained that the current state government was legally constituted and elected by the people, while the appointment of the Exco members was also valid.
“For me, this is something that is highly inappropriate because there is no court order, there is no written directive and so on.
“If there is a dismissal and so forth, it must be subject to laws and regulations, where one of the matters is that the dismissal of an Exco member must be based on the advice or views of the Menteri Besar,” he said.
He clarified that he himself was not prevented from entering his office at Wisma Negeri, adding that the restriction only applied to Exco members.
The development follows the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) statement on Wednesday that the Negeri Sembilan State Executive Council had acted beyond its legal authority by suspending the duties of the State Secretary (SUK) and State Legal Adviser.
The AGC said disciplinary action and appointment matters involving both positions fall under the jurisdiction of federal authorities, namely the Public Services Commission and the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, as provided under Article 37 of the Negeri Sembilan State Constitution 1959 (UUTKNS).
“On the Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar’s Sept 22, 2026 media statement suspending the SUK and state legal adviser with immediate effect, this department is of the view that the Negeri Sembilan State Executive Council has no legal authority to do so,” the AGC said in a statement.
The federal agency also stressed that any appointment of replacements must comply with the constitutional framework, including Article 37 of the UUTKNS, which states that the appointment of a state legal adviser must be made by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission from among members of the Judicial and Legal Service.
The AGC’s intervention came hours after Ismail announced the immediate suspension of State Secretary Datuk Mohd Zafir Ibrahim and State Legal Adviser Datuk Muzalmah Mustapha Kamal.
Following the suspension, Ismail appointed State Financial Officer Datuk Masri Razali to temporarily perform the duties of the SUK until a new appointment is made by the Chief Secretary to the Government.
He also named advocate and solicitor Fahmi Adilah to temporarily oversee state legal advisory matters until a formal appointment is made by the AGC. – September 24, 2026