Sanusi’s claim on Penang to divert attention from failures, says Syerleena

 

Bukit Bendera MP Syerleena Abdul Rashid said Kedah menteri besar Sanusi Nor should focus on the administration of his state.

PETALING JAYA: DAP’s Syerleena Abdul Rashid has lambasted Sanusi Nor for disputing Penang’s sovereignty, saying it was an attempt to divert attention from his failures as menteri besar of Kedah.

The Bukit Bendera MP said Sanusi’s claim that Penang belonged to Kedah was to divert the attention of the people, especially Perikatan Nasional supporters.

“This primarily involves his failures as the menteri besar in driving the economy of Kedah,” she said in a statement today.

Syerleena claimed that Sanusi was also trying to distract the people from Kedah’s water woes, as well as deforestation that has led to floods and changes in the geography of Yan.

“The lack of short-term and medium-term solutions to the water issue, particularly in the Kuala Kedah area, is said to be evidence of the state government’s failure under Sanusi’s leadership,” she said.

She also pointed out that Kedah ranks second in the list of the poorest states in the country, after Kelantan.

She said Kedah’s gross domestic product performance in 2021 stood at 3.2%. Meanwhile, Penang achieved the highest GDP performance at 6.8%, followed by Selangor (5%), Terengganu (3.6%) and Perak (3.5%).

“Therefore, instead of issuing statements like this, Sanusi would be better off focusing on the administration of his state, which requires appropriate attention,” said Syerleena, who is also the Seri Delima assemblyman.

On Wednesday, Sanusi called for the Federal Constitution to be amended to support his claim that Penang belongs to Kedah after Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim told him to “understand the Federal Constitution”, which lists Penang as one of the federation’s 13 states.

Yesterday, Jelutong MP RSN Rayer said Sanusi’s proposal for the constitutional amendment was an admission that he had made a blunder. By doing so, Rayer said, Sanusi had acknowledged that Penang is a sovereign state in the federation.

Meanwhile, former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng said Sanusi’s remarks on Penang’s sovereignty were “unconstitutional” and, therefore, “illegal”. - FMT