ALOR STAR: A Pakatan Harapan assemblyman has taken a swipe at the Perikatan Nasional state government for wasting time and resources on studying the historical status of Kedah and Penang.

Kota Darul Aman DAP lawmaker Teh Swee Leong described the move by Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor's administration as "unnecessary and a waste of resources" while calling for an immediate halt on the ongoing study.

"Article 1 in the Federal Constitution clearly spells out that Penang is a sovereign state, and its position is guaranteed.

"Kedah Menteri Besar should spend his time reading and understanding the Federal Constitution before making improper statements and purposely politicising good neighbouring states' relationships in Malaysia," he said in a statement today.

Teh added that the state government's move to dig into historical facts comprising over 20,000 documents from England, the Netherlands, Thailand and Indonesia is a waste of resources and time.

"Even Form Three students know the answer. If it is still unclear, please refer to Malaysia's National Archive without the hassles of conducting additional studies that will never change the status quo.

"It is paramount for all parties to accept and respect Penang's position as a sovereign state under the Federal Constitution.

"Penang belongs to Malaysians under the Constitution, and we will continue to defend its position based on legitimate facts and history," he said.

Teh said the state government should have focused on its administrative duties in Kedah and focus on issues that truly benefit the people, particularly the state economy, jobs creation and water supply issues, instead of trying to stir up historical issues that had been resolved.

On Wednesday, Sanusi announced that the research team formed by the state government to study the historical status of Kedah and Penang is expected to conclude its findings by December.

He said the study is based on over 20,000 historical archives and agreements dating back as far as 1821 gathered in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Thailand and Indonesia.

Sanusi added that the state government aimed to use the findings to establish a final position on Kedah and Penang's status before deciding on its next course of action.

https://www.nst.com.my/news/politics/2024/07/1082236/dap-assemblyman-sanusi-stop-wasting-time-and-resources-studying-kedah