“Understand Federal Constitution first before saying Kedah owns Penang,” Sanusi told

PRIME Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has lashed out at Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor for claiming that Penang still belongs to Kedah.

The Tambun MP said the Kedah Menteri Besar should understand and follow the Federal Constitution before making claims on ownership of Penang and even noted that the Federal Constitution had been signed by the conference of rulers including the Sultan of Kedah then.

“When a leader in this country speaks, he must always understand the Federal Constitution,” he told reporters after attending the launching of the Fikrah Siddiq Fadzil: Citra Budaya Dan Peradaban Bangsa Malaysia today (May 30).

“He has to understand that, even when the agreement was signed hundreds or thousands of years ago but there is the final agreement of establishing the Federation of Malaya, and that is clear.

“To say things in terms of political drama is another matter but as Menteri Besar, I think it is only appropriate to be bound by legislation.”

Anwar also urged the Jeneri assemblyman to respect the agreement on Malaysia’s formation, as stated in the Federal Constitution.

“I can comment on this issue since my statement is based on the verification by the Attorney-General over the matter.

“Please respect the agreement in the Federal Constitution, which is consented by the Malay Rulers including the Sultan of Kedah,” he remarked.

Yesterday (29 May), Sanusi maintained that Kedah owns Penang, whereas Perak and Perlis are the only states that share a border with Kedah.

After signing the land and maritime boundary agreement between Kedah and Perlis at Wisma Darul Aman, Sanusi said he is waiting for confirmation from the Department of Survey and Mapping Malaysia if there is a determined basis for the confirmation of Kedah’s border with other states.

The agreement involves 44.3 kilometers for land while 5.6 kilometers for maritime (sea) or equivalent to three nautical miles.

This was not the first time Sanusi had stoked controversy by asserting Kedah’s claim to Penang, most notably in 2021, when Sanusi and Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow clashed publicly after Sanusi demanded RM100 mil per year as “lease payment” for Penang Island and Seberang Prai.

Chow refuted Sanusi’s assertions that Penang was once a state “leased” from Kedah.

“We will not pay anything to Kedah. The federal government also need not entertain the state’s demands, which is over and above what has been agreed upon previously,” Chow had previously said. – May 30, 2023

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