JITRA - Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution was alluded to have been unwittingly helping the United States in its war over rare-earths with China. The bombshell of an insinuation over Saifuddin alleged inadvertent role in the global powerplay of the two superpowers over the coveted minerals was bellowed by Kedah Caretaker menteri besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor.
According to Sanusi, since the company being used as part of Saifuddin’s bid to discredit him was from China then, there was little left to the imagination as to who has been pulling the strings in the background.
"Who do you think is behind him (Saifuddin)?” was Sanusi’s rhetorical poser aired at Perikatan Nasional’s (PN) mega hustings, here, tonight.
Rare-earths have been the main issue used by Pakatan Harapan (PH) against PN’s in its election campaigns for the coming Kedah elections, specifically over minerals’ theft in Kedah under Sanusi’s administration.
"The who actually stole those rare-earth is a Malaysian but the one whom Saifuddin had accused as the thief is not a Malaysian.
"He is a Chinese [businessman] from China. And while he has indeed been lobbying to mine rare-earths in Kedah for years, his company hasn’t started any mining activities yet,” claimed Sanusi.
Sanusi also dropped another bombshell tonight, revealing that there was an alleged plan by the Pakatan-led Federal Government to usurp the state government’s prerogative in handling matters of rare-earths and other minerals.
"They want to control everything and gives the state royalties; pretty much like how it is with petroleum.
"Over my dead body! I will never allow this. If PN ruled Putrajaya, I will still reject this outrageous plan.
"They want it, they’ll have to war against me. If they keep on going at it, at this rare-earths thing, I will drop more bombshells,” said Sanusi.
Due this Aug 12, a total of 1,585,085 voters are eligible to cast their ballots in an electoral contest involving 83 candidates vying for Kedah’s 36 state seats.