Passed Over Once, Crowned Later: The Long Journey Of Negeri Sembilan’s Tuanku Muhriz To The Throne

Instead of a straightforward hereditary system, Negeri Sembilan follows an old Minangkabau tradition.

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The story of how Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir became the Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan isn’t your typical “born-to-the-throne” tale.

It’s part tradition, part politics and, a bit of a plot twist.

Not Your Usual Monarchy

First, you need to understand this: Negeri Sembilan doesn’t work like other Malaysian royal states.

Instead of a straightforward hereditary system, Negeri Sembilan follows an old Minangkabau tradition. The ruler is elected by four powerful chiefs known as the Undang.

These four are:
The Undang of Sungai Ujong
The Undang of Jelebu
The Undang of Johol
The Undang of Rembau

When the throne becomes vacant, these four decide who becomes the next Yang di-Pertuan Besar.

Tuanku Muhriz was always in the royal line. He is the son of Tuanku Munawir Tuanku Abdul Rahman Shah, who ruled Negeri Sembilan from 1960 to 1967.

Tuanku Munawir is the eldest son of Tuanku Abdul Rahman Shah, Malaysia’s first Yang di-Pertuan Agong. Yes, the man who graces all our banknotes.

Tuanku Abdul Rahman Shah, Malaysia’s first Yang di-Pertuan Agong. Image: Wikimedia Commons

Back to Negeri Sembilan, naturally, many expected Muhriz to eventually take the throne.

But that’s not what happened.

When Tuanku Munawir passed away in 1967, the Undang did not choose Tuanku Muhriz. Instead, they selected another royal family member, Tuanku Ja’afar.

At the time, Tuanku Muhriz was only 19, and the Undang believed someone more experienced should lead the state.

So just like that, the expected path changed.

Tuanku Ja’afar is Tuanku Munawir’s brother. He reigned for over four decades and was installed as the 10th Yang di-Pertuan Agong from 1994 to 1999.

Tuanku Ja’afar ibni Tuanku Abdul Rahman. Image: Wikimedia Commons

When Tuanku Ja’afar passed away in 2008, the Negeri Sembilan throne became vacant again, and once more, the decision was with the Undang.

This time, the expectation wasn’t so clear.

Why? Because Tuanku Ja’afar has a son, Tunku Naquiyuddin, who had been serving as Regent. Many assumed he would be next in line.

But Negeri Sembilan doesn’t run on assumptions.

After deliberation, the four Undang made a surprising but historically grounded choice. They selected Tuanku Muhriz.

Under Negeri Sembilan’s adat (customary law), the throne rotates among eligible royal lineages. Muhriz represented the line of his father, Tuanku Munawir, which had not held the throne for decades.

So in a way, this wasn’t just about the individual, it was about restoring balance to the royal rotation.

In 2009, Tuanku Muhriz was officially installed as the new Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan.

After more than 40 years of waiting, and one major detour in 1967, he finally took the throne.

The crisis plaguing Negeri Sembilan right now appears rooted in returning Tuanku Ja’afar’s lineage to the throne.

Last weekend, the former Undang of Sungei Ujong announced that they had agreed to depose Tuanku Muhriz and install Tuanku Nadzaruddin as the new Yang di-Pertuan Besar Negeri Sembilan. Tuanku Nadzaruddin is Tuanku Ja’afar’s third son.

This declaration however was immediately declared as invalid by the state’s Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun as the chief of Undang Sungei Ujong Mubarak Dohak had been sacked from his role.

The conflict deepens today as the four Undang jointly issued a declaration calling Aminuddin an unfit leader and that he should be removed as Menteri Besar.

They also denied Aminuddin’s statement that Mubarak had been sacked.

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