The proposal mooted by Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor to turn Penang and other areas including Langkawi into federal territories is ridiculous and a clear indication of Putrajaya’s desperation in controlling the state which it probably feels is now beyond reach.
At present, there are three Federal Territories namely Kuala Lumpur which was formed on 1st February, 1974, Labuan which was formed on 16th April, 1984 and Putrajaya which was formed on 1st February, 2001. Each of these three territories were formed for different purposes: Kuala Lumpur is the national capital, Putrajaya is the administrative centre of the federal government while Labuan serves as an offshore financial centre.
Unlike the above three territories there is absolutely no reason or purpose for turning Penang into a federal territory. On the contrary, Tengku Adnan’s proposal sounds more like an attempt to deprive Penang of its right of being governed by a legitimate State government and his statement, “If I can, I would take Langkawi, Penang and certain parts of Malacca” (as reported in Malaysiakini) underscores his shallowness and ignorance of the most basic of principles in any democracy, namely that ultimately it is the people who decide, not him.
Tengku Adnan’s claim that federal territories are allocated more funds and as such, it is in the interest of certain states to be turned into federal territories is not only bereft of substance but also an affront to common sense and logic. If this is true, then all states ought to be turned into federal territories! In the absence of facts and figures to substantiate his “concern” that Penang requires more funding and, therefore, ought to be turned into a federal territory, Tengku Adnan’s said proposal ought to be condemned at once.
In the circumstances, the strong objection of Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng against Tengku Adnan’s said proposal is certainly valid and would most likely reflect the sentiments of most, if not all, Penangites. Penang is, and will always be, an important and integral part of Malaysia and any attempt to turn it into a federal territory under the direct purview of the Federal government would, no doubt, be seen more as a political manoeuvre rather than a necessary one.