ALOR STAR: Kedah Umno has criticised Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor for failing to take accountability for the major development project setbacks in Kedah.
Its information chief, Datuk Shaiful Hazizy Zainol Abidin, slammed Sanusi over claims that the progress of private sector initiatives in Kedah was not connected to the state administration's actions.
He said that under Sanusi's administration, the state's property evaluation team was weak in determining the value of lands or buildings accurately and effectively, as well as incapable of assessing companies that were weak or scammers.
"(Sanusi) invites investors, but when he fails to convince them (to invest in Kedah), Sanusi claims 'this is a private project, not a government one'... With this attitude, even a secondary school graduate could become a menteri besar.
"The state government under Sanusi always takes a negligent approach (to administration).
"It has been announcing various initiatives and projects that are unrealistic and illogical," he said in a statement today.
Hence, Shaiful predicted that Sanusi would soon claim irresponsibility if Kulim International Airport (KXP) AirportCity Holdings' cooperation with Tahira Air Sdn Bhd to form a special purpose vehicle (SPV) entity to develop Kedah Aerotropolis fails.
"Regarding Tahira Air, Kedahans should be prepared for Sanusi to blame the company's inability to meet the RM2.5 billion requirement on the company's own shortcomings.
"The question is, what is the memorandum of understanding between the state government and Tahira for?
"Did the state government conduct due diligence?
"Does the state know the company operates above a shop lot selling chicken rice?" he added.
Shaiful said Sanusi was a weak menteri besar who liked to make excuses.
He added that the menteri besar should be a realist and find solutions to existing problems.
"Investors are fleeing, salary payments are delayed, the stadium is still incomplete, Rare Earth Elements (REE) issues are arising, and yet Sanusi always blames others (for these issues), saying these are private projects, not government ones. It's like blaming the floor when you can't dance."
Shaiful said Sanusi blamed Kedah's water issue on Putrajaya and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's (MACC) investigations into the matter, as well as delays in Water Treatment Plant (WTP) development due to rising material costs.
Yesterday, Sanusi responded to criticism regarding stalled private-sector projects in Kedah, saying that the state government's funding remained untouched.
Stressing that he had not wasted a single sen of the federal government's allocation given to the Kedah government, Sanusi said the progress of private sector initiatives was contingent upon the respective companies' business decisions and unrelated to the state administration's actions.