PETALING JAYA: Kedah menteri besar Sanusi Nor has found an unlikely ally in Dr Mahathir Mohamad over claims that Penang belongs to Kedah.
In a series of tweets, the former prime minister said to suggest Sanusi committed a crime for views on Penang’s history was “too much”.
Mahathir said that historically, the sultan of Kedah agreed for the British East India Company to take over Penang island on a payment of 6,000 Spanish dollars a year.
Later, a strip of the mainland opposite the island was added for 4,000 Spanish dollars a year, he said.
However, the agreement with regard to the ceding of Singapore was different, he said, adding that it was “clearly a straightforward sale”.
He said the British made a one-time payment of 60,000 Spanish dollars to the “temenggong” (chief).
“The difference between the Penang deal and the Singapore deal is obvious,” said Mahathir.
“I will not say anything about what happened to these two territories of Malaya except to admit that I persuaded (Lim) Guan Eng as (then) minister of finance to give more than RM10,000 to Kedah every year.”
Earlier today, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim confirmed that police handed part of the investigation paper on Sanusi, over claims of Penang’s sovereignty, to the attorney-general.
Anwar said police were investigating Sanusi for causing public mischief and abuse of network facilities. This came after DAP MP RSN Rayer lodged a police report on June 1.
Last month, Sanusi reiterated his belief that Kedah “owns Penang”, asserting that the territory of the sultanate extended to Balik Pulau on Penang island.
He also said that historical and academic studies supported his claim.
