POKOK SENA: Kedah executive council member Datuk Wan Romani Wan Salim has taken a swipe at what he called the "uncivilised, unprofessional" act of cabinet ministers sidelining state government leaders in federal events and meetings in the state.
The state Information, Communications and Domestic Trade Committee chairman claimed the federal government was propagating a narrative that Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor was a "troublemaker".
Wan Romani said the matter was so obvious in the way the federal government handled the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition 2023 (Lima 2023).
"The MB informed the recent state executive council meeting that during the first meeting on Lima 2023, it was informed that the tourism minister had decided that the MB would officiate the event," he said, adding that Sanusi however, was not present in the first meeting as the latter was away performing the umrah.
However, Wan Romani said according to Sanusi, during the second meeting that was attended by his deputy private secretary last week, it was informed that the earlier decision on the MB officiating Lima 2023 was called off.
"It was stated in the minutes of the meeting that it was decided that the invitation for the MB to officiate Lima 2023 was cancelled following a cabinet instruction, but they did not release a circular on the matter," he told reporters after distributing 1,500 packets of bubur lambuk at a hypermarket here yesterday.
"The MB also informed the state exco meeting that on the instructions of the cabinet, he is not allowed to attend any meeting at the federal level, on the excuse that he had leaked classified government information.
"According to the MB, he had only spoken about a meeting between the Finance Ministry and the menteris besar and chief ministers.
"He only spoke about the fact that it was the Finance Minister (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) who made a presentation during the meeting, unlike common practice, of which it was presented by the ministry's top officials.
"He never mentioned in public about the classified content of the presentation. Yet, he was wrongly accused of leaking classified information to the public. That is unprofessional for them to do that," he said.
For the record, no Kedah menteri besar has ever officiated at any Lima exhibition. The opening of Lima has always been done by the sitting prime minister.
Wan Romani also took a swipe at the federal unity government ministers for sidelining Kedah state exco members during their official visits to the state.
He cited the recent two-day official visit by Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil in Kedah as an example.
"All the previous federal administrations had invited state exco members for events and meetings, including exco members from the opposition states. But it was evident recently that in Kedah, several ministers had attended official programmes in Kedah without inviting the state exco members," he said.
Wan Romani added that even the Raja Muda of Kedah, Tengku Sarafudin Badlishah Sultan Sallehuddin, has spoken to him over the matter.
"After the Friday prayers yesterday (Friday), Tuanku Raja Muda asked me why I was not present at the communications and digital minister's programmes in Kedah recently.
"I told Tuanku that as the state exco concerned, I wished to welcome the minister to the state but unfortunately, I was not invited to his events.
"He (the minister) invited the elected representatives but excluded the state exco. Never before in Malaysian history, after 66 years of Merdeka, has such a thing happened.
"Obviously it was discrimination. They are better not propagating Madani, it was Madanon instead. The idea (Madani) is good, but the implementation is uncivilised," he said, referring to the Malaysia Madani concept promoted by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Wan Romani added that since Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has recently denied that the cabinet had instructed that the Kedah menteri besar be barred from attending the federal government's official events, then it should issue an official invitation to Sanusi for Lima 2023.
Yesterday, Sarawak had made it a requirement for ministers from the federal government who intend to conduct working visits to the state to inform the Sarawak government in advance.
Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg was reported as saying the federal ministers also needed to detail each project planned by their respective ministries for the state, including the purpose of the visit and what projects were to be implemented, for better coordination.