For three years, Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor has stoked a historical fantasy: Penang, he insists, belongs to Kedah. “There is no Kedah-Penang border,” he proclaimed in 2023, citing a 1786 lease to the British for a mere RM10,000 a year. By October 2025, he escalated, confirming a legal team is preparing to sue Penang for its “return” and a RM100 million annual “honorarium”—ten times the current RM10 million payment.
Sanusi calls it reclaiming Kedah’s rights. To Penangites, it’s a prelude to economic and cultural devastation. If PAS, Sanusi’s party, ever governs the Pearl of the Orient, its track record in Kelantan, Terengganu, and Kedah suggests a grim future: shuttered businesses, fleeing investors, and a state stripped of its vibrancy. Penang’s 8.1 million tourists, 11% share of Malaysia’s foreign direct investment (FDI), and thriving cultural scene would not survive PAS’s regressive policies.
Sanusi’s revanchist rants (straight out of a 19th-century colonial playbook) and PAS’s “moral first, economy last” vibe make Penang’s potential slide into “top 5 poorest” feel less like hyperbole and more like a warning label.
God, please save Penang, because if Sanusi’s PAS brigade gets its “walaun” hands on this island, it’s not just a claim—it’s a collapse.
Penang under PAS’s regressive rule, a dystopia where the vibrant state unravels faster than a poorly stitched kain batik.
Tourism: From Global Draw to Ghost Town
Penang’s tourism sector, generating RM18 billion in 2024, hinges on its open, cosmopolitan appeal. Yet PAS’s playbook is clear. In 2023, mere rumours of an alcohol ban in PAS-ruled Langkawi—under Sanusi’s watch—slashed tourist arrivals by 22%. Kelantan and Terengganu, PAS strongholds for decades, rank among Malaysia’s least-visited states, with arrivals down 15-30% due to restrictive dress codes and event cancellations.
A PAS-run Penang would replace Gurney Drive’s bustling food stalls with moral-policing patrols. George Town’s UNESCO status, a magnet for global visitors, would lose its lustre under bans on “un-Islamic” festivals. The state’s 8 million annual tourists could halve, leaving hotels and hawkers struggling to survive.
Investment: Chasing Away the Tech Giants
Penang’s tech hub, home to Intel, Infineon, and Bosch, accounts for 11% of Malaysia’s FDI, second only to Selangor. Kedah, by contrast, scrapes less than 0.8%. PAS’s governance model—prioritising religious compliance over economic incentives—repels investors. In Terengganu and Kelantan, factory closures and boycotts of “Western” firms have driven unemployment to 8-10%, double Penang’s rate.
Intel chose Penang over Kedah’s Kulim in 2023 for one reason: freedom from religious interference. Under PAS, Penang’s factories could face khalwat raids or sermons decrying “foreign influence.” Within two years, multinationals would likely relocate to Johor or Vietnam, taking 100,000 jobs with them.
Everyday Life: Toto, Cinemas, and the Cost of Piety
PAS’s moral crusades would dismantle Penang’s social fabric. Kelantan banned Toto and Magnum outlets in the 1990s, costing the state RM10 million annually in tax revenue and pushing betting underground. Penang’s 118 licensed lottery shops, supporting 2,000 jobs, would face the same fate, devastating small businesses.
Cinemas, a staple of Penang’s nightlife, would not fare better. Kelantan has had no cinemas since 1998, when its last theatre closed, shedding 50 jobs. Terengganu’s 2018 gender-segregation rules—mandating separate seating and lit auditoriums—cut ticket sales by 34%. Penang’s 10+ GSC and TGV outlets would either shutter or limp along, bleeding revenue. Concerts, mixed-gender gyms, and art exhibitions would vanish, replaced by pre-approved “syariah-compliant” events.
Women, already underrepresented in PAS states’ workforces (38% in Kelantan vs. 55% nationally), would face new barriers, from dress code enforcement to restricted public spaces. Penang’s diverse, inclusive culture would erode, driving talent to Singapore or beyond.
Governance: Palaces Over People
While Sanusi demands RM100 million from Penang, Kedah’s poverty rate hovers at 19.6%. In Terengganu, the Menteri Besar’s allowances surged 52% after PAS’s 2023 re-election, even as 20% of residents live below the poverty line. Kelantan allocated RM42 million for a new palace while 24% of its children go hungry.
Penang’s Chief Minister, by contrast, earns RM14,400 monthly—one of Malaysia’s lowest salaries—prioritising flood mitigation and free public transport. Under PAS, expect bloated perks for “pious” leaders while infrastructure crumbles, as seen in Kedah’s 2024 floods that swamped even Sanusi’s own home.
Penang FC, a Malaysia Super League contender, thrives on local pride. Kedah Darul Aman FC, mired in RM12 million debt, was relegated last season. Perlis FA collapsed entirely in 2019 under PAS rule. Penang’s stadiums would fall silent, with budgets diverted to “dakwah programmes” and sponsors fleeing moral-policing scandals.
Sanusi’s lawsuit, set for 2026, is less about history than political theatre for the 2028 elections. His claim—“I want to reclaim Penang because it is Kedah’s right”—ignores the Federal Constitution, which cements Penang’s status. Yet the mere threat of PAS governance should galvanise Penangites.
If PAS takes the helm, the timeline is stark:
- Year 1: Toto shops close, cinemas segregate, tourism dips.
- Year 2: First tech giant relocates, unemployment climbs.
- Year 5: Penang joins Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah, and Perlis among Malaysia’s poorest states, with poverty rates nearing 20%.
Penang is not just a state; it’s a symbol of Malaysia’s pluralist potential. Its char kway teow stalls, tech hubs, and football chants deserve better than PAS’s vision of piety over progress. The courts must dismiss Sanusi’s gambit, and voters must reject his party’s divisive rhetoric.
The Pearl must shine, not shatter.
Penang, once a beacon of progress, will slide into the ranks of Malaysia’s top five poorest states, rubbing shoulders with PAS’s SG4 (Perlis, Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah).
From a thriving metropolis to a backwater where the only growth industry is religious bureaucracy.
Sanusi’s claim isn’t just a land grab; it’s a death knell.
Penang’s spirit—its food, culture, and hustle—can’t survive a “walaun” takeover.
