I THINK the Tunku Mahkota of Johor (TMJ) may be right in saying that Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor is a clown – entertaining and should not to be taken seriously.

TMJ and Sanusi had a fight over the former’s payment of arrears to Kedah football players a few days ago. Rather than confronting the state leader, TMJ realised that a clown being a clown cannot and should not be taken seriously.

Sanusi has kept Malaysians entertained with all sorts of antics in the past two years, starting with him asking Penang to pay a compensation for the water drawn from Sg Muda.

When it was pointed out that Penang is drawing water from its side of the river, Sanusi threatened the island state, saying it may have to put up with muddy or silty water if tanks are constructed along Sg Muda riverbanks.

Penang remained unmoved by these antics, with Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow saying that Penang will not pay a single sen to Kedah.

Penang will be supportive if Putrajaya came up with funds to assist Kedah in its preservation of the water catchment area in Ulu Muda, the source of Sg Muda. So, the federal government struck off a big sum from the debts owed by the padi state.

Sanusi is also known for changing his “goal post” each time he runs into a dead end.

When Penang refused to pay the compensation, the state leader shifted his goal post to another issue: Penang was leased from Kedah during British colonial days.

However, Sanusi is not a good history student as he forgot to acknowledge the fact that though Penang was leased from Kedah, the British never intended to return it to the latter.

Some also argue that Kedah never had full-fledged sovereignty over Penang as it was regarded as a vassal state of Siam.

Putrajaya’s RM10 million payment is not an acknowledgement that Penang was leased from Kedah, but a goodwill contribution – like its annual payment to the Sultanate of Sulu over Sabah.

Sanusi wants the federal government to increase the annual payment to RM100 million, not only to safeguard water catchment areas, but also prevent the state from extracting timber.

He also comes from racist and extremist party PAS and has no love for Penang, which he thinks is DAP’s stronghold.

His latest “clowning” is the decision to ban 4D gambling outlets and alcohol sales in Kedah. He defended this move by asking affected operators to instead focus on alternative businesses.

I am not sure whether the state government or local authorities have the power to cancel the licences as these are issued by the federal government – in particular, the Finance Ministry.

This ban comes at a time when PAS is contesting in the Malacca elections.

Perhaps, Sanusi thinks that such an initiative may assist the party in winning Malay-Muslim votes as analysts believe that the elections is a “do or die” for PAS.

These clownish acts are not making him any popular and may have the opposite effect instead.

Sanusi withdrew from contesting a top post in PAS’ polls recently, and he is neither popular in his party nor state. There is a general feeling that he may not retain his menteri besar position as he has embarrassed his party too many times.

The non-Malays have no love from him because he directed the destruction of two old Hindu temples in Kedah – one was centuries-old in Alor Star, the other was decades-old in Kulim.

Sanusi said MIC leaders who protested the demolition were “behaving as though drunk on toddy”, and he is the first menteri besar to cancel Thaipusam – a public holiday meant for Hindus.

He has hardly concealed his hatred for Penang and said those not happy with his ban on gambling outlets can move to the island state, as though the state has a low moral status.

Even the Penang mufti has taken offence to this comment, as if saying that the state is a “sin city”.

How can an erratic person like Sanusi administer a state that lacks development and whose bulk of industrial labour force is working in the manufacturing and service industries in Penang?

He has failed to develop Kedah into an industrial state; even the Kulim airport shows no sign of moving forward.

Unfortunately, Kedah may just be the next Kelantan.

PAS, for all its religious and holier than thou rhetoric, shows no sign of working for the interests of the people.

If it is disinterested in providing employment and a good life, then Sanusi may just be the right person. – November 16, 2021.

* Ramasamy Palanisamy reads The Malaysian Insight.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.