GEORGE TOWN – There are grounds for police to investigate Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor for alleged sedition after his reported public remarks that Penang belongs to Kedah, said DAP lawyer R.S.N. Rayer.
Speaking to journalists here after lodging a second police report on the matter, the Jelutong MP said that this is not the only instance Sanusi had insisted that Penang belongs to Kedah.
“Despite the federal constitution stating otherwise, Sanusi chose to defy it, causing conflict and disrupting the harmony between both neighbouring states.
“The content is libellous, seditious, and has the potential to cause unease.
“A leader cannot be allowed to continue compromising peace and harmony by resorting to something libellous and factually inaccurate.
“We are hoping that police will investigate and take the necessary action,” the DAP MP said.
Yesterday, he lodged a similar police report in Kedah.
He added that Sanusi is believed to be the first Malaysian to question the sovereignty of one state, and this had caused a sense of discomfort among those residing in Penang.
Sanusi reportedly said that the federal constitution needs to be amended to accommodate findings made by historians and experts in Kedah that Penang belongs to the Kedah sultanate and those who founded the island state, as well as the claim that those who later went on to colonise it for almost 200 years did it by way of deceit.
He reiterated that Penang belonged to Kedah and challenged journalists present to report what he has uttered despite knowing that his remarks will again become controversial.
Meanwhile, criticism towards Sanusi continued with the oldest Malay organisation in the country – the Penang Malay Association – questioning Sanusi if his remarks were just a cheap gimmick in view of the upcoming state elections in Kedah and Penang.
Its president Tan Sri Mohd Yussof Latiff said that the border demarcation between Kedah and Penang was done on May 6, 1869 between representatives of both states.
Yussof said that under the constitution, Penang is recognised as one of the 13 territories (states) under the federated states of Malaysia.
“Hence, Sanusi was misinformed over the matter,” Yussof said in an interview.
He also said that the association members are keen to hold a dialogue with Sanusi on the matter so it can be put to rest and that both states could continue fostering good relations. – The Vibes, June 1, 2023
