Photo: CHAN BOON KAI/The Star
GEORGE TOWN: Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said he will see Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor in court over claims of initiating legal action regarding the state’s position and relationship with Penang.
Chow said the Kedah Mentri Besar has been saying this for the past three years.
"My response has not changed.
"I will meet you in court," Chow said at a press conference held at his office in Komtar on Wednesday (Nov 12).
Chow was responding to questions by the press after Muhammad Sanusi said he was finalising the appointment of a legal team to initiate action regarding the state's position and relationship with Penang.
When asked if the state government has worked with a team of experts to respond to Muhammad Sanusi's claims, Chow said he would wait for a petition from Kedah first.
"You must receive the petition from the other party to know what they are requesting.
"The state legal advisor is always at our service.
"If we receive a legal notice, the first thing we will do is seek advice from the state legal advisor and our legal team," he said.
Chow said if there was a need to engage in any further legal counsel, it can be decided later on, upon legal opinion and advice.
It was reported on Monday (Nov 10) that Muhammad Sanusi said Kedah had finalised the appointment of lawyers to carry out the legal process, adding that a research team of history and legal experts had presented its final report to the state executive council in April this year.
Previously, he had said it was time for the Federal Government to increase the annual honorarium from RM10mil to RM100mil, given that Penang’s lease valuation was now at least RM500mil.
The Federal Government has been paying RM10mil annually to Kedah since 2018. The amount was RM10,000 before that.
In 1800, the then Kedah ruler Sultan Dhiauddin Mukarram Shah had signed an agreement with Sir George Leith Baronet, to lease Penang Island and Seberang Prai for 10,000 Spanish Crowns a year.
When the country achieved independence in 1957, the annual honorarium rate was converted to RM10,000 before it was increased to RM10mil in 2018.
