Lawyer questions legitimacy of Negeri Sembilan MB’s appointment

Rosli Dahlan berkata Ismail Lasim telah berbohong kepada rakyat Negeri Sembilan dan negara, sambil memetik percanggahan antara kenyataan dan tindakannya. (Gambar Bernama)PETALING JAYA: Seorang peguam kanan mempersoalkan kesahan pelantikan Menteri Besar Negeri Sembilan Ismail Lasim serta meragui kebenaran laporan polis yang dibuatnya, tidak lama selepas memegang jawatan pada 2 Sept.Rosli Dahlan memberitahu FMT, kesimpulannya dibuat berdasarkan kenyataan yang dikeluarkan dalam sidang media oleh Undang Johol Muhammed Abdullah dan tiga individu lain yang mendakwa mereka ialah Undang Sungai Ujong, Jelebu dan Rembau, hari ini.Beliau berkata, berdasarkan kenyataan itu, pemerintah negeri, Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir, telah diturunkan takhta Yang di-Pertuan Besar pada 19 April tahun ini.Namun, pada 2 Ogos, Ismail mengangkat sumpah sebagai menteri besar dan berikrar taat setia kepada Tuanku Muhriz.Rosli Dahlan.Rosli berkata, pada 8 Sept, sehari selepas 10 anggota Exco negeri mengangkat sumpah di hadapan Tuanku Muhriz, Ismail membuat laporan polis mendakwa beliau dipaksa menandatangani proklamasi berkenaan.Bagaimanapun, pada 16 Sept, beliau mengeluarkan satu lagi kenyataan mengesahkan bahawa exco — yang dipecat Tuanku Muhriz empat hari kemudian — telah mengesahkan proklamasi April itu dalam mesyuarat mereka sehari sebelumnya.“Ini menimbulkan persoalan mengenai kesahan menteri besar dan exco ketika itu mengangkat sumpah kerana pemerintah negeri dikatakan telah diturunkan takhta,” kata Rosli.Peguam itu berkata tindakan Ismail yang 'berubah-ubah' mendedahkannya sebagai 'berbohong kepada rakyat Negeri Sembilan dan negara'.“Ia juga mendedahkan beliau kepada kesalahan membuat laporan polis palsu,” katanya sambil menambah percanggahan itu menjejaskan kedudukan Ismail sebagai menteri besar kerana beliau mengangkat sumpah di hadapan Tuanku Muhriz.Rosli turut menegaskan bahawa kronologi peristiwa menunjukkan cubaan menurunkan takhta Tuanku Muhriz 'bukan sahaja tidak berperlembagaan dari segi undang-undang, malah cacat dari segi fakta kerana hanya mengetengahkan peristiwa tertentu sambil mengabaikan peristiwa lain'.“Kenyataan terbaharu empat Undang ini amat serius kerana mereka terus mengelirukan orang awam dengan kenyataan yang tidak konsisten, menimbulkan kebimbangan awam serta menjejaskan institusi Raja-Raja Melayu di bawah perlembagaan,” katanya. Ismail Lasim has lied to the people of Negeri Sembilan and the nation, Rosli Dahlan alleged, citing inconsistencies between his statements and actions.

(Bernama pic)PETALING JAYA: A senior lawyer has questioned the legitimacy of Negeri Sembilan menteri besar Ismail Lasim’s appointment and cast doubt on the truthfulness of a police report he lodged soon after taking office.Rosli Dahlan told FMT his conclusions were based on a statement released at a press conference by the undang of Johol, Muhammed Abdullah, and three others claiming to be the chieftains of Sungei Ujong, Jelebu, and Rembau earlier today.He said that according to the statement, Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir was dethroned as the Yang Dipertuan Besar on April 19.Despite this, he said, on Aug 2, Ismail was sworn in as menteri besar and pledged his allegiance to Tuanku Muhriz.Rosli noted that on Aug 8, a day after the state’s 10 executive councillors were sworn in, also by Tuanku Muhriz, Ismail lodged a police report claiming he had been coerced into signing the proclamation.Yet, on Sept 16, he issued another statement confirming that the exco - sacked by Tuanku Muhriz four days later - had affirmed the April proclamation at its meeting the previous day.Rosli Dahlan.“This brings into question the legitimacy of the menteri besar and his exco at the time they were sworn in, as the ruler had supposedly been deposed,” Rosli said.The lawyer argued that Ismail’s “flip-flop” had exposed him as “having lied to the rakyat of Negeri Sembilan and the nation”.“It also exposes him to an offence of having lodged a false police report,” he said, adding that the contradiction undermines Ismail’s position as menteri besar, since he was sworn in by Tuanku Muhriz.Rosli further stressed that the chronology of events showed the attempt to dethrone Tuanku Muhriz was “not only legally unconstitutional but also factually flawed as it selectively highlighted certain events while disregarding others”.“This latest statement by the four undangs is very serious as they continue to confuse the public with inconsistent statements, causing public alarm and undermining the institution of the Malay rulers under the constitution,” he said.