Kedah Umno slams proposal to place Langkawi under Federal Government

ALOR SETAR, Nov 14 — Kedah Umno has criticised Seputeh MP Teresa Kok’s proposal for Pulau Langkawi to be placed under federal administration, calling it disrespectful to the state and to the authority of the Sultan of Kedah.

Kedah Umno liaison committee chairman Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid said the proposal was insensitive and had offended the people of the state.

“Kedah Umno views the Seputeh MP’s suggestion as showing a lack of respect towards the Sultan of Kedah, who presides over all territories under His Majesty’s rule as well as the people of Kedah.

“She should exercise greater awareness and sensitivity in her remarks, regardless of the platform — even in the Dewan Rakyat, where parliamentary immunity applies,” he said in a statement today.

Mahdzir said the DAP lawmaker should refrain from making proposals involving the monarchy, particularly when they relate to lands under the Sultan’s jurisdiction.

“Such matters cannot be discussed casually in public as they involve the dignity of the Sultan of Kedah, who holds sovereignty over the island.

“This is not like picking up fallen coconuts by the roadside that belong to no one — this concerns sovereignty, and there is no room for compromise,” he said.

Kedah Umno also called on Teresa to issue a public apology for remarks it said had offended Kedah residents.

Mahdzir added that issues surrounding Langkawi’s development could be addressed through existing mechanisms without placing the island under full federal control.

“Langkawi already has a federal agency, the Langkawi Development Authority (LADA), which simply needs to be further empowered to develop the island’s potential.
“There is no need for the Federal Government to take over Langkawi,” he said.

Yesterday, Teresa Kok criticised the PAS-led Kedah government for what she described as its failure to develop Langkawi, while expressing ambitions to take over Penang.

She said Langkawi, with its strong tourism potential, could be better developed under federal management, and suggested the island be designated either as a Federal Territory or an international zone for more structured development.