# Menteri Besar of Negeri Sembilan

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 11th Menteri Besar of Negeri Sembilan is Aminuddin Harun, who took office on 12 May 2018.

## 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, to be an ethnic Malay who professes the religion of Islam and not to be a Malaysian citizen by naturalisation or by registration. The Yang di-Pertuan Besar and Negeri Ruling Chiefs on the Menteri Besar's advice shall 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with the concurrence of Negeri Ruling Chiefs unless the appointment of any member of the Executive Council shall have been revoked by the Yang di-Pertuan Besar on the advice of the Menteri Besar but may at any time resign his office.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):  UMNO  Alliance /  Barisan Nasional  Pakatan Harapan
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) Constituency | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Party | Election | Assembly |
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) Constituency | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Party | Party | Election | Assembly |
| 1 | | Abdul Malek Yusuf (1899–1977) | 1 February 1948 | 11 August 1950 | 2 years, 192 days | | UMNO | – | – |
| 2 | | Mohamad Salleh Sulaiman | 11 August 1950 | 1 January 1951 | 144 days | | UMNO | – | – |
| 3 | | Abdul Malek Yusuf (1899–1977) | 1 August 1951 | 15 April 1952 | 259 days | | UMNO | – | – |
| 4 | | Abdul Aziz Abdul Majid (1907–1976) | 15 April 1952 | 1 October 1952 | 170 days | | UMNO | – | – |
| 5 | | Abdul Malek Yusuf (1899–1977) | 1 October 1952 | 1 October 1953 | 1 year, 0 days | | UMNO | – | – |
| 6 | | Shamsuddin Naim | 1 October 1953 | 31 January 1959 | 5 years, 123 days | | Alliance (UMNO) | – | – |
| 7 | | Mohamad Shariff Abdul Samad | 15 April 1959 | 23 June 1959 | 70 days | | Alliance (UMNO) | – | – |
| 8 | | Mohamed Said Muhammad (died 1996) MLA for Linggi | 23 June 1959 | 10 May 1969 | 9 years, 322 days | | Alliance (UMNO) | 1959 | 1st |
| 8 | | Mohamed Said Muhammad (died 1996) MLA for Linggi | 23 June 1959 | 10 May 1969 | 9 years, 322 days | | Alliance (UMNO) | 1964 | 2nd |
| 9 | | Mansor Othman (1923–1999) MLA for Seri Menanti | 10 May 1969 | 12 July 1978 | 9 years, 64 days | | Alliance (UMNO) | 1969 | 3rd |
| 9 | | Mansor Othman (1923–1999) MLA for Seri Menanti | 10 May 1969 | 12 July 1978 | 9 years, 64 days | | BN (UMNO) | 1974 | 4th |
| 10 | | Dato' Rais Yatim (born 1942) MLA for Pertang | 12 July 1978 | 29 April 1982 | 3 years, 292 days | | BN (UMNO) | 1978 | 5th |
| 11 | | Tan Sri Dato' Seri Utama Mohd Isa Abdul Samad (born 1950) MLA for Linggi | 29 April 1982 | 24 March 2004 | 21 years, 331 days | | BN (UMNO) | 1982 | 6th |
| 11 | | Tan Sri Dato' Seri Utama Mohd Isa Abdul Samad (born 1950) MLA for Linggi | 29 April 1982 | 24 March 2004 | 21 years, 331 days | | BN (UMNO) | 1986 | 7th |
| 11 | | Tan Sri Dato' Seri Utama Mohd Isa Abdul Samad (born 1950) MLA for Linggi | 29 April 1982 | 24 March 2004 | 21 years, 331 days | | BN (UMNO) | 1990 | 8th |
| 11 | | Tan Sri Dato' Seri Utama Mohd Isa Abdul Samad (born 1950) MLA for Linggi | 29 April 1982 | 24 March 2004 | 21 years, 331 days | | BN (UMNO) | 1995 | 9th |
| 11 | | Tan Sri Dato' Seri Utama Mohd Isa Abdul Samad (born 1950) MLA for Linggi | 29 April 1982 | 24 March 2004 | 21 years, 331 days | | BN (UMNO) | 1999 | 10th |
| 12 | | Dato' Seri Utama Mohamad Hasan (born 1956) MLA for Rantau | 25 March 2004 | 11 May 2018 | 14 years, 48 days | | BN (UMNO) | 2004 | 11th |
| 12 | | Dato' Seri Utama Mohamad Hasan (born 1956) MLA for Rantau | 25 March 2004 | 11 May 2018 | 14 years, 48 days | | BN (UMNO) | 2008 | 12th |
| 12 | | Dato' Seri Utama Mohamad Hasan (born 1956) MLA for Rantau | 25 March 2004 | 11 May 2018 | 14 years, 48 days | | BN (UMNO) | 2013 | 13th |
| 13 | | Dato' Seri Utama Aminuddin Harun (born 1967) MLA for Sikamat | 12 May 2018 | Incumbent | 6 years, 185 days | | PH (PKR) | 2018 | 14th |
| 13 | | Dato' Seri Utama Aminuddin Harun (born 1967) MLA for Sikamat | 12 May 2018 | Incumbent | 6 years, 185 days | | PH (PKR) | 2023 | 15th |
* ↑ This column names only the Menteri Besar's party. The state government he heads may be a complex coalition of several parties and independents; those are not listed here.

## Living former Menteris Besar

| Name | Term of office | Date of birth |
| Rais Yatim | 1978–1982 | 16 April 1942 (age 82) |
| Mohd Isa Abdul Samad | 1982–2004 | 14 November 1950 (age 73) |
| Mohamad Hasan | 2004–2018 | 2 May 1956 (age 68) |