Not new but ready to go to court, Chow on Sanusi's Penang-Kedah claims

SHAH ALAM - The Penang state government is ready to go to court over Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor repeated claim that Penang belongs to Kedah, says Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.

Chow said although Sanusi claims to be joking, the state was prepared to resolve the matter in court.

“He said Penang belongs to Kedah - it is not a new joke but a serious joke thus we listen seriously as well.

“He can choose to joke about it,” he told reporters during an event in Georgetown, Penang.

When asked if there were any plans to bring the matter to court, Chow reiterated that any claims not only about Penang but also water payments, Seberang Perai or whatsoever, to meet at court.

“He has often joked but has never taken any legal action over the claims he has made so far.

“I don’t dare advise him. He is, after all, the most honourable menteri besar. The people and voters should advise him,” he said.

Yesterday, after signing a land and maritime boundary agreement between Kedah and Perlis, Sanusi once again claimed Kedah owned Penang.

He was quoted saying: “From what I know, Penang is Kedah’s. So there is no such thing as the Kedah-Penang border”.

This has also gained the attention of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who told Sanusi to understand the Constitution and how things were bound by legal aspects.

“"The agreement may have been signed 300, 1000 years ago, (but) there is the final agreement of establishing the Federation of Malaya and that is clear.

"To say things in terms of political drama is another matter but as Menteri Besar, I think it is only appropriate to be bound by legislation,” he told the media after officiating the Fikrah Siddiq Fadzil seminar at Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) here today.