NEGERI Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Ismail Lasim has insisted he will remain in office, denying reports that he has signed or intends to sign a resignation letter amid the state’s continuing issue involving the palace.
“Just political games... it is not true. I am not resigning,” he said as reported by The New Straits Times.
Ismail, who is also Juasseh assemblyman, was responding to a report by a Chinese-language news portal claiming he had signed a letter to resign.
His press secretary, Mohd Fasha Musthafa, also dismissed the report, saying Ismail continued to perform his duties as usual.
“The Menteri Besar is carrying out his duties as usual. The report (the claim) is not true,” he said.
The denial comes as the dispute between the state administration and the palace remains unresolved.
On Sept 20, Istana Seri Menanti announced that the Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan, Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir, had revoked the appointments of 10 state executive council members appointed by Ismail.
The development followed reports that Ismail had signed a proclamation seeking to remove Tuanku Muhriz from the throne on Aug 3, a day after Ismail was sworn in as Menteri Besar.
Ismail also came under scrutiny last week after Tuanku Muhriz publicly reprimanded him following Friday prayers at Kampung Beting Mosque in Juasseh, Kuala Pilah.
Meanwhile, Negeri Sembilan Umno liaison committee chairman Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias yesterday urged all parties to give the state leadership space to resolve the dispute, expressing confidence that it would be settled soon. - October 23, 2026