The Menteri Besar of Negeri Sembilan or First Minister of Negeri Sembilan is the head of government in the Malaysian state of Negeri Sembilan. According to the convention, the Menteri Besar is the leader of the majority party or largest coalition party of the Negeri Sembilan State Legislative Assembly.
The 12th and incumbent Menteri Besar of Negeri Sembilan is Ismail Lasim, who took office on 2 August 2026.
Appointment According to the state constitution, the Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan with the concurrence of Negeri Ruling Chiefs shall first appoint the Menteri Besar to preside over the Executive Council and requires such Menteri Besar to be:
A member of the Legislative Assembly who in his and Negeri Ruling Chiefs' judgment is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the members of the Assembly, An ethnic Malay who professes the religion of Islam, and Not a Malaysian citizen by naturalisation, or by registration under Article 17 of the Federal Constitution
But the Yang di-Pertuan Besar may in his discretion dispense the second requirement and appoints a non-Malay and non-Muslim as the Menteri Besar.
The Yang di-Pertuan Besar and Negeri Ruling Chiefs on the Menteri Besar's advice shall also appoint not more than ten nor less than four members from among the members of the Legislative Assembly.
The member of the Executive Council must take and subscribe in the presence of the Yang di-Pertuan Besar the oath of office and allegiance as well as the oath of secrecy before they can exercise the functions of their office. The Executive Council shall be collectively responsible to the Legislative Assembly. The members of the Executive Council shall not hold any office of profit or engage in any trade, business or profession that will cause conflict of interest.
If a government cannot get its appropriation (budget) legislation passed by the Legislative Assembly, or the Legislative Assembly passes a vote of no confidence in the government, the Menteri Besar is bound by convention to resign immediately. The Yang di-Pertuan Besar's choice of replacement Menteri Besar will be dictated by the circumstances. A member of the Executive Council other than the Menteri Besar shall hold office during the pleasure of the Yang di-Pertuan Besar with the concurrence of Negeri Ruling Chiefs unless the appointment of any member of the Executive Council shall have been revoked by the Yang di-Pertuan Besar on the advice of the Menteri Besar but may at any time resign his office.
Following a resignation in other circumstances, defeat in an election, or the death of the Menteri Besar, the Yang di-Pertuan Besar with the concurrence of Negeri Ruling Chiefs will generally appoint as Menteri Besar the person voted by the governing party as their new leader.
Powers The power of the Menteri Besar is subject to a number of limitations. A Menteri Besar removed as leader of his or her party, or whose government loses a vote of no confidence in the Legislative Assembly, must advise a state election or resign the office or be dismissed by the Yang di-Pertuan Besar with the concurrence of Negeri Ruling Chiefs. The defeat of a supply bill (one that concerns the spending of money) or unable to pass important policy-related legislation is seen to require the resignation of the government or dissolution of Legislative Assembly, much like a non-confidence vote, since a government that cannot spend money is hamstrung, also called loss of supply.
The Menteri Besar's party will normally have a majority in the Legislative Assembly and party discipline is exceptionally strong in Negeri Sembilan politics, so the passage of the government's legislation through the Legislative Assembly is mostly a formality.
Caretaker Menteri Besar The legislative assembly unless sooner dissolved by the Yang di-Pertuan Besar with the concurrence of Negeri Ruling Chiefs on the advice of the Menteri Besar, shall continue for five years from the date of its first meeting. The state constitution permits a delay of 60 days of a general election to be held from the date of the dissolution and the legislative assembly shall be summoned to meet on a date not later than 120 days from the date of dissolution. Conventionally, between the dissolution of one legislative assembly and the convening of the next, the Menteri Besar and the executive council remain in office in a caretaker capacity.
List of Menteris Besar of Negeri Sembilan The following is the list of Menteris Besar of Negeri Sembilan since 1948:
Colour key (for political parties):
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No. Portrait Name Term of officePartyElectionAssembly 1Abdul Malek Yusuf(1899–1977)1 February194811 August1950UMNO––2Mohamad Salleh Sulaiman11 August19501 January1951UMNO––3Abdul Malek Yusuf(1899–1977)1 August195115 April1952UMNO––4Abdul Aziz Abdul Majid(1907–1976)15 April19521 October1952UMNO––5Abdul Malek Yusuf(1899–1977)1 October19521 October1953UMNO––6Shamsuddin Naim(1911–1983)1 October195331 January1959Alliance(UMNO)––7Mohamad Shariff Abdul Samad15 April195923 June1959Alliance(UMNO)––8Mohamed Said Muhammad(1907–1996)MLA for Linggi23 June195910 May1969Alliance(UMNO)19591st19642nd9Mansor Othman(1923–1999)MLA for Seri Menanti10 May196912 July1978Alliance(UMNO)19693rdBN(UMNO)19744th10Rais Yatim(born 1942)MLA for Pertang12 July197829 April1982BN(UMNO)19785th11Mohd Isa Abdul Samad19822004BN(UMNO)19826th19867th19908th19959th199910th12Mohamad Hasan25 March200411 May2018BN(UMNO)200411th200812th201313th13Aminuddin Harun20182026PH(PKR)201814th202315th14 Ismail Lasim(born 1960)MLA for Juasseh2 August202621 September 2026BN(UMNO)202616th
Living former Menteris Besar Name Term of office Date of birthRais Yatim 1978–1982 16 April 1942 (age )Mohd Isa Abdul Samad 1982–2004 14 November 1949 (age )Mohamad Hasan 2004–2018 2 May 1956 (age )Aminuddin Harun 2018–2026 2 January 1968 (age )Ismail Lasim 2026 15 April 1960 (age )
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