KUALA LUMPUR, July 16 — Caretaker Kedah menteri besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor was fined RM500,000 last year, allegedly for stealing rare earth elements (REE), according to Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

Saifuddin Nasution said the Lands and Mines Offices fined Sanusi as the chairman of the Menteri Besar Incorporated (MBI) of Kedah because of activities carried out in the district of Sik, Berita Harian reported late last night.

"Tonight I want to ask Sanusi as the MBI chairman if he received a letter from PTG chairman Datuk Fauzi Mustafa at the end of last year.

"The letter called for MBI to pay a compound of RM500,00 for stealing rare earth elements in Kampung Chong, Sik. You are the menteri besar, you are the MBI chairman; the letter was dated October 4, 2022,” he was quoted as saying at the Kedah Unity Machinery Launch at Padang Awam Pekan Guar Chempedak in Kedah.

He said that the compound fell under Section 426(1) of the National Land Code, which states that any person who extracts rock material from any land without the legal authority is liable to a fine of not more than RM500,000, or imprisonment of up to five years, or both.

According to Saifuddin Nasution, the alleged incident occurred at 2.30pm on September 24, 2022.

He added that he will continue to expose Sanusi’s wrongdoings to enable Malaysians to make the right choice in the coming state elections.

"We appoint the menteri besar to manage the state, not to be a thief. This is the beginning and we have a series of disclosures with complete documents because we believe the people of Kedah are intelligent.

"Do not ever underestimate the intelligence of the people in Kedah. Hopefully at least (winning) 19 seats in the Kedah state legislative assembly will become reality,” Saifuddin Nasution who is also Pakatan Harapan secretary-general was quoted as saying.

Berita Harian also reported that Sanusi had denied the involvement of MBI Kedah in any REE exploration and mining activities in the Bukit Enggang Reserve Forest.

The PAS politician was reported saying the exploration work in the area had not begun since the Energy and Natural Resources Ministry had yet to issue the relevant standard operating procedure.

Sanusi who is also Perikatan Nasional election director denied that the activities involved caused river pollution as the water used in the area did not flow into the river due to a system in place to direct water back to the pump.