ALOR STAR: Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor has claimed that Kedah state executive councillors are being barred from taking part or cooperating with federal departments and agencies.
Citing an example, Sanusi claimed that all sports committee chairmen in four states ruled by Perikatan Nasional will no longer chair the respective state-level National Sports Day event, unlike in previous practice.
Instead, Sanusi said the management of the programme in opposition-led states has been handed over to the Implementation Coordination Unit (ICU) under the Prime Minister's Department.
"However, they (the federal government) still seek cooperation from DOs (District Officers). Ironically, the state's sports exco members are being excluded but they are working with the district officers.
"I think this is unhealthy politics. Have they expelled Kedah from Malaysia? If they consider we (opposition states) are still part of Malaysia, they should have not done that.
"That is outdated politics practiced in the 1970s, 1980s. This is 2023, they should have not behaved in such a way. Please tell them that people don't play such politics anymore," he said at a press conference after chairing state-owned Kulim Technology Park Corporation (KTPC) board meeting at Wisma Darul Aman here today.
Present were state Industrial and Investment, Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation Committee chairman Dr Haim Hilman Abdullah and his predecessor Datuk Dr Ku Abdul Rahman Ku Ismail.
It was reported recently that Haim, who is also former Universiti Utara Malaysia vice-chancellor, had asked the Higher Education Ministry to clarify whether students in the state were being barred from taking part in any programme organised by the state government.
However, its deputy minister Datuk Mohammad Yusof Apdal was reported as denying the ministry had issued any instruction banning any public higher learning institution from taking part in any event organised by opposition-led state government.
Commenting further, Sanusi, who is also the state PN chairman, stressed that sports and education should not made 'victims' of politics.
He claimed he was informed that a secondary school principal in the state was summoned by an authority in the Education Ministry for allegedly allowing a PN assemblyman in Kedah to enter the school premises.
"It turned out that the assemblyman was there to support his child during the school's sporting event but the principal was summoned to explained why he allowed a politician to enter the school.
n"The Education Minister said a application must be put forward 30 days before the event. Does it make any sense to apply 30 days in advance just to enter the school to watch your child taking part in sports competition? This is politics in the 1980s but they (federal government) say this is Madani.. that's so improper," he said.