Negeri Sembilan state executive council lacks power to suspend SUK, says legal adviser
Malaysia’s Negeri Sembilan Exco lacks legal power to suspend SUK, legal advisor, says Attorney General’s Chambers
Source: Utusan Malaysia · September 22, 2026 at 9:32 PM · AI-assisted report
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KUALA LUMPUR, 23 SEPTEMBER 2026 —
Malaysia’s Negeri Sembilan Exco lacks legal power to suspend SUK, legal advisor, says Attorney General’s Chambers
The Negeri Sembilan state executive council (Exco) does not have the legal authority to suspend the duties of the state secretary (Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri, SUK) and legal advisor (Penasihat Undang-undang Negeri), according to the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC). The decision, issued today, clarifies that such appointments and suspensions fall under the jurisdiction of the Public Service Commission (Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Awam, SPA) and the Judicial and Legal Services Commission (Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Kehakiman dan Perundangan).
The ruling directly contradicts a statement by Menteri Besar Ismail Lasim on September 22, 2026, in which he announced the immediate suspension of Datuk Mohd. Zafir Ibrahim, the state secretary, and Datuk Muzalmah Mustapha Kamal, the legal advisor.
The AGC stated that the Negeri Sembilan state assembly (Majlis Mesyuarat Kerajaan Negeri, MMKN) lacks the legal power to suspend either official, as outlined in Section 37 of the Negeri Sembilan State Government Act 1959 (Undang-undang Tubuh Kerajaan Negeri Sembilan 1959, UUTKNS).
The AGC emphasized that any new appointment of a legal advisor must also comply with Section 37 of UUTKNS, requiring the Judicial and Legal Services Commission to select the candidate from within the ranks of the judicial and legal services. The chambers’ statement underscores that the Exco’s decision to suspend the two officials is legally invalid, as their appointments and suspensions are governed by federal commissions rather than state executive authority.
The dispute follows Ismail Lasim’s announcement today that the MMKN unanimously decided to suspend Zafir and Muzalmah’s duties with immediate effect. The AGC’s intervention now places the matter under federal oversight, potentially leading to further legal or administrative proceedings to resolve the conflict. No further details on next steps were provided by the chambers.
Malaysia Impact
3/10Federal-state legal disputes over state-level appointments could heighten political tensions and test constitutional boundaries, indirectly affecting policy and regulation stability in Malaysia.
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