Sanusi says Kedah may hold Penang ‘lease’ claim until Perikatan takes Putrajaya

Kedah's Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor, has stated that the state may delay its claim for higher Penang "lease" payments until the Perikatan Nasional (PN) party takes control of the federal government. The Star reports that despite Kedah's pursuit of a review for the past six years, the federal government has yet to provide a positive response to the state's demand.

Sanusi expressed frustration with the federal government's reluctance to either pay or consider Kedah's application, suggesting that they may change the federal government if their demands are not met. The Kedah government has been pushing for a review of the payments, which they seek to receive annually from the federal government, and has submitted a report to state leaders on April 15 last year, after completing a study by historians and legal experts.

The final report examined historical documents, agreements, payment records, and the legal and constitutional basis of Kedah's claim, for which the state requests RM300 million annually, in addition to the ongoing RM10 million special contribution given to Penang since 2018 and the longstanding RM10,000 payment under Article 167(7) of the Federal Constitution.

Penang's Chief Minister, Chow Kon Yeow, has stated that the claim falls under federal jurisdiction and that his state government has not received any legal correspondence from Kedah regarding the matter.