ALOR STAR: Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor has defended the state government's demand for the annual 'lease payment' for Penang island and Seberang Perai to be increased from RM10 million to RM100 million.
The Perikatan Nasional Jeneri assemblyman said the demand was justified since the Selangor government receives RM70 million annually from the federal government for Kuala Lumpur.
Sanusi said the findings from a research team formed by the state government to study the historical status of Kedah and Penang, expected to be tabled by next month, would further support the demand.
He said Belantek assemblyman Ahmad Sulaiman has urged the state government to demand RM100 million from Penang.
"If you ask me, I will demand RM300 million because the land value and the island are strategic.
"Don't (you) ever say that I don't want to reclaim Penang because it (Penang) has always belonged to Kedah.
"Who can erase history? Who dared to erase history?
"That is a fact that must be acknowledged.
"However, we understand there were changes and the current situation, but history cannot be erased.
"That's why we formed a research team to study all relevant documents worldwide, and the findings will be presented to the state government next month," he said while wrapping-up the Kedah Budget 2025 debate session in the State Assembly in Wisma Darul Aman here today.
Sanusi said the fact that Kedah is getting RM10,000 for Penang's leasing is an undisputable fact that the neighbouring state indeed belonged to Kedah.
"Then, in 2018, when Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was appointed prime minister for the second time, it (the federal government) added another RM10 million, on top of the RM10,000 referred to as special payment for Penang.
"There are two separate items (payments); RM10,000 and RM10 million.
"We hope that things will change after we present our arguments and undisputable facts.
"If not RM100 million, it might as well become RM300 million.
"For Kuala Lumpur, it is being paid RM70 million (annually) to Selangor, but KL is small (compared to Penang), but (Selangor) is being paid RM70 million.
"How can we agree to just RM10,000?" he said.
Sanusi in a press conference later reiterated that the state government's move to study historical documents related to Kedah and Penang history did not contravene the Federal Constitution.
"As the government of the day in Kedah, it is our responsibility, so I undertake the responsibility.
"We need to revisit the fundamentals of why this country was formed, documents that bind us, how far the bind goes, how far the bind is enforced, where are the interests of the states in the agreement.
"We believe many of our (state) interests have been neglected, our demands were not heard.
"I'm just fulfilling my responsibilities, that's all.
"I'm not going against the Federal Constitution or the Yang di-Pertuan Agong as alleged by certain quarters who don't understand the issue, accusing me of disrupting stability," he said.
Sanusi said he believed that the findings by the research team would help to clarify many issues such as the amount to be paid (by Penang) for extracting raw water from Sungai Muda, the state's border, the leasing payment and the actual value that Penang should pay to Kedah.
"We're not crazy; we're living in a modern world.
"Thus, we will act based on the current situation, we won't form an army to attack Penang, we will not do that," he said in jest.