ALOR STAR – Officials working for Kedah Mentri Besar Muhammed Sanusi Md Nor have launched a vigorous defence of the PAS leader after he was wantonly criticised for the manner he has administered the state.
His press secretary Muhamad Mat Yakim, reprimanded a news blogger who uploaded a speculative report that PAS secretary-general Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan would replace Sanusi in the mentri besar’s post.
Sanusi, who is deputy commissioner of Kedah PAS, has come under fire for alleged bias against Hindus, and for endangering the environment by allowing large-scale deforestation and mining projects without waiting for environmental impact assessments (EIA).
Mat Yakim, a former academician and journalist popularly known as Che Mad by the media fraternity, accused the blog of reporting without basic knowledge as Takiyuddin does not hold a seat at the Kedah state assembly.
“People write speculations, and he (the blogger) also wants to write them. People write with knowledge, but he has no knowledge,” Mat Yakim said in a Facebook post.
“As a (former) journalist, I feel very sad and ashamed if this person at his level claims to be a journalist,” he added
Earlier, the Malaysia Dateline portal had published speculation that Takiyuddin, who is the minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law), would replace Sanusi no later than the next general election.
Takiyuddin, who is now MP for Kota Baru, was raised in Sik, Kedah.
The speculation came after Sanusi was criticised over his decision to withdraw a public holiday for Thaipusam on grounds that the Covid-19 pandemic does not allow any public celebration of the event this year.
Other contentious issues include his administration’s demolition of two Hindu temples and the alleged purchase of a Toyota Vellfire car using state firm Syarikat Air Darul Aman Sdn Bhd (Sada) funds.
He has also been taken to task for quarrelling with Penang over the neighbouring state’s refusal to agree to “compensation” payment for extracting water from Sungai Muda.
The river which originates from around the Ulu Muda forest in Kedah flows between Kedah and Penang, and the latter extracts water for its population’s use on its own side of the border.
It is understood that Sanusi plans to clarify these issues once the movement control order (MCO) is lifted. – The Vibes, January 31, 2021
