PETALING JAYA: The secretary of the Negeri Sembilan council of customary chieftains said today he may initiate contempt of court proceedings against those involved in the purported proclamation of a new Yang di-Pertuan Besar of the state, following what was described as a breach of an interim injunction granted by the High Court in Seremban today.
Raja Norazli Raja Nordin, secretary of the Dewan Keadilan dan Undang, said media reports had indicated that the customary chieftains were involved in the purported appointment of a Yang di-Pertuan Besar under the state constitution, Bernama reported.
The purported appointment took place after the High Court issued an interim injunction earlier yesterday to preserve the status quo of the council and his position as its secretary pending the hearing of jurisdictional and justiciability issues, and until further order of the court.
The injunction had been issued against the former undang of Sungai Ujong, Mubarak Thahak; the undang of Jelebu, Maarof Mat Rashad; undang of Johol, Muhammed Abdullah; the undang of Rembau, Abdul Rahim Yasin; the Tunku Besar of Tampin, Tunku Syed Razman Tunku Syed Idrus Al-Qadri; and the Shahbandar of Sungai Ujong, Badarudin Abdul Khalid.
Raja Norazli said he viewed the actions of the chieftains as a hasty attempt to disregard the court order.
“Accordingly, my solicitors have written to their solicitors, and I have reserved my right to commence contempt proceedings against them in order to preserve the integrity of the court order,” he said in a statement tonight.
He said the move would be in addition to contempt proceedings already filed over actions allegedly taken from the first hearing of the matter at the High Court on May 13 until today. The contempt proceedings have been fixed for hearing on July 7.
Earlier today, the High Court allowed an application for an interim injunction against the six people in a dispute involving the Negeri Sembilan DKU, including restraining them from convening or holding any meeting, including a special sitting scheduled for today.
