KEDAH Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor’s apology to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and his cabinet earlier this month will only bring positive outcomes, said analysts.

They said the apology would clear the path for better cooperation between the state and federal government.

Ilham Centre executive director Hisomudin Bakar said Sanusi’s apology to Anwar has brought an end to a rift between Kedah and the federal administration.

“As Kedah cannot stand on its own without the help of the federal government, this apology has cleared the path (to a better working relationship between the two),” he said.

At the Madani Raya celebrations in Tasik Darulaman, Sanusi said sorry to Anwar for any inappropriate remark he might have made while carrying out his duties as the menteri besar.

Sanusi also extended the same apology to members of the cabinet, saying it was human to make mistakes.

Hisomudin said Sanusi now has a better chance of having his wishes for Kedah granted.

“Sanusi will negotiate to fulfil the wishlist he gave Anwar in their last meeting. His great hope is that all development projects will get the green light from Putrajaya. If successful, development in Kedah can be realised under Sanusi. This will give him and PAS an advantage and he will possibly remain (Kedah menteri besar) for the next term,” he said.

But Sanusi still faces Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, who is the Kedah Development Action Council co-chair, he said.

“Hopefully, Anwar will instruct his minister to agree to a meeting so that the problems in Kedah can be resolved,” he said.

As for the relationship between PAS and Pakatan Harapan (PH), Hisomudin said he does not see any foreseeable changes if PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang does not resolve the issues between his party and Anwar’s coalition.

PAS is pragmatic enough to achieve its goals, Hisomudin said.

International Islamic University Malaysia’s Tunku Mohar Tunku Mohd Mokhtar said Sanusi’s open apology has at least improved Kedah-Putrajaya relations.

“An improvement in federal-state relations can bring economic benefits to the state,” he said.

The political science assistant professor said it could also soothe tensions between the two rival political coalitions.

“Politically, it can ease tensions not only between the federal and state governments, but also between PH and Perikatan Nasional (PN). This could get both sides to focus on issues affecting the people and to address them together,” he said.

Associate professor Awang Azman Awang Pawi at the Universiti Malaya Centre for Democracy and Elections said not all PN state leaders felt the same way as Sanusi.

“Perlis, Kelantan, and Kedah might share the same feelings but Terengganu might not. Some still can’t accept Anwar’s leadership and don’t see him as a good leader for the country,” he said.

PAS youth chief Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden downplayed the apology, saying it was the “normal” thing for Muslims to do during Raya.

“I’d say that Sanusi is a big-hearted person because he apologised. But his apology should not have any impact to the state-federal relationship. The federal government has to take care of all the states whatever the situation is,” the Alor Star lawmaker said. – May 19, 2024.