KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 2 — In the latest twist to the rare earth elements (REE) issue in Kedah, caretake Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor now alleged that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had brought an Indonesian tycoon to the state for the purpose of applying to mine REE.
Sanusi said the prime minister and the Indonesian, who is an oil tycoon from the neighbouring country, had visited Kedah before the Parliament was dissolved last year, Malaysiakini reported.
The news portal withheld the name of the Indonesian mogul, the report stated that Sanusi made the allegations during a Perikatan Nasional ceramah session in Pedu last night.
“Someone contacted me a few weeks before the state assembly was dissolved, saying that the Indonesian man wanted to give (me) hundreds of sacrificial cows.
““I didn’t accept it because the state election was around the corner. I was afraid that the cows would be a bribe, so I didn’t accept them.
“(Previously), I kept thinking... Then I remembered that the Indonesian man came (to Kedah) with Anwar and met many people to tell them that he wants to apply to mine (at the REE area),” he was quoted as saying.
Sanusi, who is the Perikatan Nasional (PN) election director, then said that this was the reason behind Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail’s continuous ‘attack’ on him over the REE issue.
“That’s why Saifuddin is 'working so diligently' on this matter.
“They have been ‘digging up’ all sorts (of stories), confusing the people. Their storyline is so that the people would hate Sanusi, hate PN and want to show the weakness in (my) governance.
“It’s in fact Saifuddin who doesn’t understand governance,” he was quoted as saying.
Sanusi also said that he has no issues with allowing any party who wants to apply for a licence to mine rare earths in the state.
However, he stressed that the applicants should use the right channels to bring returns to the Kedah state government and its people.
On Sunday, Saifuddin said that Sanusi’s incompetence in managing the Kedah government was the reason for the theft of REE in Bukit Enggang, Sik.
He said that the matter not only affects the state government but also the country’s image since the issue of human trafficking is also involved.
Yesterday, Saifuddin produced a photograph of Sanusi with a Chinese national man which he identified as “So Loi Fat” who he claims has connection over the extraction of REE in Kedah.
Saifuddin said that So was one of the two skilled workers brought in by Kedah Menteri Besar Incorporated (Kedah MBI) to mine REE.
Sanusi had since acknowledged his acquaintance with the Chinese national allegedly involved in the theft of REE in the state.
However, Sanusi told the Malaysiakini that he was not involved with So’s business affairs, which he said was with the state’s Land and Minerals Office as well as the Kedah MBI.
