SEREMBAN 20 April 2026 (The Capital Post) – Attention has turned to the four traditional territorial chiefs, known as the Undang Yang Empat, following a developing controversy involving the Negeri Sembilan royal institution.
The Undang are powerful hereditary leaders who play a key constitutional role in the state, including the selection of the Yang di-Pertuan Besar, Negeri Sembilan’s ruler. Their authority is rooted in centuries-old Minangkabau customs that remain embedded in the state’s governance structure.
The four Undang represent the districts of Sungai Ujong, Jelebu, Johol and Rembau. Together, they form a unique system of leadership that sets Negeri Sembilan apart from other Malaysian states, where rulers are typically hereditary monarchs.
The Undang of Sungai Ujong is the traditional chief of one of the most historically significant districts, with strong influence over customary and administrative matters. Jelebu is currently led by Dato’ Maarof Mat Rashad, who was installed as the 17th Undang of Jelebu in 2018 after serving in public education before his appointment.
Johol is another of the four luak, where the Undang is selected according to adat (customary law) from among eligible noble lineages. Rembau, meanwhile, is also led by a hereditary Undang chosen through similar matrilineal and traditional selection systems preserved under Negeri Sembilan’s adat perpatih framework.
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The Undang collectively hold constitutional responsibilities, including acting as co-heads of state and participating in the election of the Yang di-Pertuan Besar, who must be chosen from eligible royal descendants of the Negeri Sembilan royal line.
Under the state constitution, they cannot stand as candidates for the throne themselves, but their consensus is essential in determining succession and upholding the legitimacy of the ruler.
The renewed public attention on the Undang comes amid ongoing discussions about the interpretation of customary authority and constitutional provisions within Negeri Sembilan’s unique monarchy system.
Authorities have yet to issue further official clarification on the matter, while traditional institutions continue to emphasise that all processes must follow established adat and constitutional frameworks.-The Capital Post