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The Work Custom or Menabal is a mandatory ceremony to announce the appointment of the new Dato Penghulu Luak or Dato Lembaga of Negeri Sembilan.

The Dato-Dato Lembaga Customs Committee consisting of Dato Paduka Tuan, Dato Shahbandar, Buapak and Soko will seek consensus to set a suitable date to hold this ceremony at Balai Penghulu Luka.

Those who need to be present on the day of the declaration are the Customs Supervisor of Istana Besar Seri Menanti Negeri Sembilan as a representative of His Majesty the Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan, District Officials, District Religious Officials, District Police Chiefs and officers- government officials as government representatives, as well as appointed subordinates.

The new Dato Lembaga is bathed with lime water on a three-tiered chair as a sign that the Dato is clean. Then the Dato was dressed in Malay clothes and sat on the Tilam Pandak in the porch of the house. The feast is held jointly with the slaughter of a cow whose head is displayed to the public.

Ceremonial Preparation

Ceremonial preparations include decorating the hall as follows:

Upper Hall Area:

i) Black and white cloths are hung on the pole of the station in the middle of the corner. The other pillars are wrapped with colored cloth and installed Tabir Langit and Tabir Lingkung.

ii) Lingkung Curtain Cloth covers the entire porch. Tabir Langit decorates the porch and at the base of the hall. The porch room is also fitted with Mount Berangkat, Gadang Pillows, and two Pandak Mattresses lined with Ruffled Mats on the left and right under the mattress.

Hall Down Area:

At the end of the yard, three pairs of pennants were installed in the following positions: 

i) On the right a white cloth flag, on the left a black cloth flag, while in the middle a sharp pointed black and white flag with a grand umbrella.

ii) On the left side of the hall courtyard are decorated weapons spears, swords, grand umbrellas, long decorative cloths called ular-ular, and grand banners called tonggol.

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