PM leaves it to AG to take action against Sanusi

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is leaving it to the Attorney-General to take the appropriate action pertaining to Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor's statement claiming that Penang belongs to Kedah.

The Prime Minister said such a claim must stop as it violates the Federal Constitution's principles consented to by the Malay Rulers.

"Just because we want to exercise the power of election, do we have to sacrifice the principles of the Constitution and create chaos?

"We have been independent for more than six decades, the previous ruling parties (of Kedah), whether UMNO-BN, PAS-PH and now PAS-PN, have never raised the issue (concerning Kedah and Penang) except for an irresponsible leader who is willing to violate the principles of the Constitution," he said during the Minister's Question Time at the Dewan Rakyat sitting today.

Anwar said this in reply to Lim Guan Eng (PH-Bagan) on the action to be taken against Muhammad Sanusi who called for the Federal Constitution to be amended so that Penang can be returned to Kedah, which has divided the people, caused anxiety among the residents of Penang and threatened the harmony and security in the country.

Anwar explained that Penang's position as a state within Malaysia that is separated from Kedah is clearly enshrined under Clause (2) of Article 1 of the Federal Constitution.

It also states that states of the Federation comprised of Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Penang, Selangor and Terengganu; and the Borneo states of Sabah and Sarawak.

He said Clause (3) of Article 71 of the Federal Constitution read together with the Eighth Schedule of the Federal Constitution also guaranteed the position of the State Constitution, including that of the Penang State Constitution.

Hence, Anwar said the issue should not be raised, especially when Malaysia has already obtained independence and has remained a sovereign country.

However, the Prime Minister did not refute the fact of history that Penang and Seberang Perai were part of Kedah before, but it changed when the British acquired Penang and Seberang Perai, just like Melaka, Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak.

As such, Anwar said the history of Kedah and Penang should not be disputed anymore to avoid it from violating the principles of the Constitution.

Earlier, a commotion broke out when Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee Beluran (Bersatu-Beluran) used the Standing Order 23 (1) (c) of the Dewan Rakyat to dispute the selection of Guan Eng's question as the first to be answered today.

However, Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul said he had studied and made appropriate judgments regarding the question.

Two other Members of Parliament, namely Datuk Che Mohamad Zulkifly Jusoh (PN-Besut) and Datuk Awang Hashim (PN-Pendang) also stood up and used the respective Standing Order 23 (1) (b) and 36 (6) in protest of the question, but Johari remained firm with his stance of allowing the question to be asked.

-- BERNAMA