KUALA LUMPUR (June 6): Police have started an investigation into Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Noor over his claims that Penang belongs to Kedah, which have created unease, according to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

During Ministers’ Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday (June 6), Anwar said some of the police reports had been presented to the Attorney General's Chambers of Malaysia, and the matter is awaiting appropriate action.

“I have received documents, including from the police reports, which confirm that the menteri besar of Kedah irresponsibly issued the statement — firstly, his demand that the Federal Constitution be amended to return Penang to Kedah,” Anwar said.

“And secondly, stating that there is a solid basis according to the law that Penang belongs to Kedah. This statement is not responsible, and the police have started an investigation based on various existing legal provisions, to take appropriate action to avoid the continuation of statements that violate constitutional principles and laws, including under the Penal Code and also under the Sultan's Act.”

The Tambun Member of Parliament (MP) said Clause (2) Article 1 of the Federal Constitution provides that the federal states consist of the States of Malaya, namely Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Penang, Selangor and Terengganu, as well as the States of Borneo, namely Sabah and Sarawak.

“And Clause (3) Article 71 of the Federal Constitution read together with the Eighth Schedule of the Federal Constitution has guaranteed the position of the State Constitution, including the Penang State Constitution,” he said.

Anwar said all agreements started with the British and the Malay rulers, namely the Federation of Malaya Agreement dated Jan 21, 1948 (1948 Agreement) and the Federation of Malaya Agreement dated Aug 5, 1957 (1957 Agreement), which were approved by all Malay rulers, including then Sultan of Kedah Sultan Badlishah ibni al-Marhum Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Shah.

“All the previous agreements were cancelled with the existence of the Federation of Malaya and the agreement that was introduced,” he said.

“Sultan Badlishah was smarter, considerate and understood the provisions of the law, not like what we hear now. In that decision, it was finalised in the treaty establishing the federation of Malay lands, where the 1957 agreement was introduced by all the rulers, including Sultan Badlishah.

“So why bring it up today? Why do we want to undermine the power of the state, and sacrifice constitutional principles and create problems? Malaysia has been independent for more than six decades,” Anwar added.

He was responding to Bagan MP Lim Guan Eng who enquired on the action taken over the call of the menteri besar of Kedah, that the Federal Constitution be amended so that Penang can be returned to Kedah, which Lim said had divided the people, caused anxiety among the residents of Penang, and threatened harmony and security in the country.

On May 29, Muhammad Sanusi was reported to have said that Kedah and Penang do not have a border because Penang still belongs to Kedah, noting that Kedah only shares a border with Perak and Perlis.

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