'Stay in your own lane,’ Sanusi tells Saifuddin

ALOR SETAR - Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor rebuked the statement made by the Kedah State Development Action Council (MTPN) chairman Saifuddin Nasution Ismail who made a cynical statement against him.

Instead, Sanusi adviced the Home Minister to learn to respect the responsibilities of others and work within the existing system

"Everyone should stay within their jurisdiction. It's not wrong to visit occasionally, but the project has its own authorities according to regulations," he said in a press statement here on Thursday.

He stressed that every task would become chaotic if there were parties unwilling to comply with the work system by intervening at levels beyond their jurisdiction, while tasks that should be done at their level were neglected.

"We work within our framework, not ‘stealing’' someone else's framework as we please. We have a working system at every level with the functions of every agency and department established.

"This system has undergone various refinement processes for decades, has been documented, bound by government circulars to guide all government sectors to function at their respective levels," he added.

Sanusi said that the implementation of five Water Treatment Plants (LRA) were underway and had a Project Governing Officer (PP) appointed after the project was approved, namely the Secretary to the Kedah State Government.

"The PP as the authority has appointed the Kedah Public Works Department (JKR) as the representative, which has established a JKR Technical Unit, namely the Kedah Water Project Team (PPAK) in 2021 with the objective of further strengthening the method or mechanism for monitoring the LRA project," he said.

He emphasised that as the legitimate body representing the Project Governing Officer in addressing arising issues regarding the project, any directives or views from coordinating ministers or deputy ministers including the chief minister must go through the flowchart structure in the work system without exception.

"I think this syndrome occurred during the previous 22-month government and is repeating now.

"Their distrust in the ability of trained government officials and the 'established' work system. When the project is delayed, they look for someone else to blame.

"When the project is completed, they will be at the forefront to claim political mileage. That's all they know. Politics 24/7!" he said.

The verbal sparring between Sanusi and Saifuddin continued when Saifuddin made sarcastic remarks about Sanusi on Tuesday, saying he did not want to distract Sanusi's focus on developing The Greater Kedah even though the State Development Action Committee meeting was not held.

Saifuddin sarcastically said that he would monitor small projects like LRA, while Sanusi handled billion-ringgit projects like the Kulim International Airport (KXP), racing tracks in Sungai Petani and the Kedah-Songkhla land bridge.

Previously, Sanusi described Saifuddin's excuse for not holding meetings due to concerns about leaks of confidential information as 'ridiculous'.

During the Kedah State Legislative Assembly (DUN) session on March 7, Sanusi was reported to be upset with Saifuddin's failure to convene a meeting for over a year to discuss federal government infrastructure projects in Kedah with the state government since the establishment of the council.