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The Negeri Sembilan Palace has issued a formal warning to all political parties contesting the 16th state election, demanding they refrain from invoking the royal institution in campaign materials and speeches.
Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has urged all political parties contesting the Negeri Sembilan state election to heed the palace's call to respect the monarchy and refrain from raising sensitive 3R matters—race, religion, and royalty—during campaigning.
Barisan Nasional has pledged to remain neutral on matters involving the Negeri Sembilan palace and the state's Council of Justice and Laws ahead of the August 1 state election, with Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid emphasizing party unity as the priority.
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Activist Badrul Hisham Shaharin, known as Chegubard, has pleaded not guilty to sedition charges stemming from a social media post concerning Negeri Sembilan's royal institution, marking another test of Malaysia's controversial sedition laws.
PKR vice-president Datuk Seri R. Ramanan has condemned political leaders for exploiting the royal institution for electoral advantage ahead of Johor's state polls, urging parties to maintain institutional separation from campaigning.
Political observers have advised Johor Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz to defend his administration through documented accomplishments rather than references to the royal household when facing opposition attacks.