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KEDAH’s claim over Penang has no constitutional basis and runs counter to established legal frameworks governing state sovereignty, said Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow (picture).

He said the challenge by Kedah Mentri Besar (MB) Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor against Penang’s sovereignty was unconstitutional and comparable to the claim by individuals purporting to be heirs of the Sulu Sultanate over Sabah.

“The Kedah MB’s claim over Penang is unconstitutional, just like the Sulu claim over Sabah, which was rejected based on principles of law and national sovereignty,” he said during the Dewan Rakyat debate on the motion of thanks on the royal address.

The premier pointed out that Penang has been a sovereign state within the Federation of Malaysia since the independence of the Federation of Malaya in 1957, with its position further reinforced under the Malaysia Agreement 1963. 

Thus, making Penang subject to the Constitution and not to any pre-independence historical claims, an English daily reported.

Chow added that state boundaries were conclusively determined through the Kedah and Penang (Alteration of Boundaries) Act 1985, enacted by Parliament in accordance with Article 2 of the Federal Constitution.

“Under the federal system, state boundaries cannot be altered arbitrarily, let alone through political statements without a lawful legislative process, and such claims clearly run counter to the spirit of federalism,” he said.

He warned that such assertions risk undermining national stability.

Previously, Sanusi was reported as saying that the Kedah government had plans regarding its claim over Penang beyond a proposal to designate the state as a special territory, similar to Hong Kong’s status in relation to China, though no further details were disclosed.

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KOTA TINGGI — The peatland fire in Taman Bayu Damai, Pengerang, which has been raging since last weekend, has disrupted residents’ daily lives as thick plumes of smoke blanketed residential areas, causing breathing difficulties and reduced visibility.

Checks by Bernama at the scene found that areas around Jalan Langkah Baik 3, Taman Bayu Damai, remain affected by dense white smoke and a strong burning smell.

The smoke has made breathing difficult and limited visibility to about 150 metres, disrupting daily activities and raising concerns among residents.

Firefighters from the Punggai and Sungai Rengit fire and rescue stations, along with personnel from the Civil Defence Force (APM), were also seen actively carrying out firefighting operations around Jalan Langkah Baik 3.

Imam of Masjid Al Hijrah Taman Bayu Damai, Abdul Rahim Padimin, 65, said the fire, which broke out about 50 metres from his home, has worsened since Sunday, forcing him and his family to relocate to the Taman Bayu Damai Multipurpose Hall temporary evacuation centre (PPS) for safety. 

“At first, I thought it was a small fire, but it spread and the smoke became thicker due to strong winds. The situation worsened on Sunday when the smoke reduced visibility to just about 50 metres,” he said when met at the PPS here today.

He added that his daughter, who had just given birth and is still in confinement, had to be moved with her family to her brother-in-law’s house in Lorong 2, Kampung Sungai Kapal, which was considered safer and unaffected by the haze.

Areas along Jalan Langkah Baik 1, 2 and 3 are among the worst affected as they are close to the source of the fire, with flames seen spreading in areas filled with fern shrubs, tall grass and forest vegetation that are highly flammable.

Meanwhile, Jalan Langkah Baik 3 resident Fuad Daud, 57, said he and his family were forced to move to the PPS last Saturday.

“The smoke was extremely thick, making it hard to breathe, causing eye irritation and a strong smell of smoke. Even when doors and windows were closed, smoke still seeped into the house, endangering our family’s health,” he said, adding that this was the worst incident to hit the area since 2013. 

Taman Bayu Damai Village Development and Security Committee secretary Ishak Moksan, 62, said the committee immediately issued warnings and made announcements for residents to evacuate to the PPS when the situation deteriorated last Saturday.

According to him, more than 250 residents were affected.

He said the peatland soil remains capable of retaining embers beneath the surface, increasing the risk of recurring fires and necessitating continuous monitoring by the authorities.

As of noon, 124 victims from 45 families have been evacuated to two PPS — the Taman Bayu Damai Multipurpose Hall and Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Sungai Kapal — following the peatland fire covering about 12 hectares. — BERNAMA

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KUALA LUMPUR — The Works Ministry will consider a proposal to introduce special accreditation for contractors as a measure to monitor and enhance the quality of road pavement works, ensuring that construction is of higher quality, more durable and meets its intended service life.

Deputy Works Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Maslan (picture) said that at present, road construction and maintenance projects undertaken by the Public Works Department (JKR) are closely supervised by competent project teams in accordance with established specifications and standards.

He added that appointed contractors are also responsible for ensuring that all works are carried out in compliance with the required quality standards.

He said that to date, measures such as forfeiture of bond rights, payment deductions, refund adjustments and blacklisting from government tenders have been imposed on contractors who fail to meet the required standards.

“However, the ministry has no objections and is ready to consider a proposal for special accreditation to ensure that pavement works are of better quality and more durable,” he said during a question-and-answer session at the Dewan Rakyat today.

Ahmad was responding to a question from Datuk Mohd Suhaimi Abdullah (PN-Langkawi) on the government’s willingness to consider special accreditation for contractors, as well as efforts to adopt advanced technology to improve the quality and lifespan of road pavements and accommodate heavy traffic loads. — BERNAMA

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PORT KLANG — The Selangor Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) detained 55 foreign nationals, including an infant, believed to be attempting to illegally enter and leave the country in two separate boats in the waters of Bagan Nakhoda Omar, Sabak Bernam, early yesterday.

Its director Maritime Captain Abdul Muhaimin Muhammad Salleh (picture) said an unregistered fiberglass boat was intercepted at 12.30 am on Jan 26, about 1.5 nautical miles southwest of Bagan Nakhoda Omar. It was attempting to enter Malaysia from Tanjung Balai, Indonesia.

“Inspection revealed that it was operated by a 36-year-old Myanmar skipper. A total of 26 Indonesian nationals were on board, comprising 17 men, nine women, and a child, aged between five and 53.

“In addition, two local men aged 46 and 49 were also on the boat and are believed to have exited and are attempting to re-enter the country via illegal routes,” he told a press conference at the Selangor MMEA headquarters here today.

The second boat was intercepted around 2 am, about two nautical miles southwest of the same area, involving a pom-pom boat attempting to leave the country. 

He said the boat was operated by a skipper and two crew members, all Indonesians aged between 22 and 32. Further inspection found 24 illegal immigrants on board, 19 men and five women aged between 22 and 64, as well as a three-month-old baby.

“All those detained failed to produce valid identification documents. The illegal immigrants and the seized boats were escorted to the marine police jetty in Pulau Indah for further action.

“The case is being investigated under the Immigration Act 1953/63 for entering and leaving the country via non-gazetted routes, and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act (ATIPSOM) 2007 for attempting to smuggle in illegal immigrants,” he said.

Abdul Muhaimin said each individual aboard the boats was believed to have been charged between RM1,500 and RM2,500, depending on gender and drop-off location.

In a related development, he said since the beginning of the year, Selangor MMEA has detained more than 100 suspects, most of whom are illegal immigrants, indicating an increasing trend of boats attempting to cross the country’s maritime borders. 

He said the increase may be linked to preparations for the upcoming Ramadan and Aidilfitri celebrations.

“Enforcement operations will therefore be intensified, and the media is urged to help convey this message to the public.

“MMEA will not compromise with anyone involved in cross-border crimes and will continue to step up operations in Malaysian waters,” he said.

He also urged the public to channel information on maritime criminal activities to the Selangor MMEA operations centre at 013-6606652 or via the emergency hotline 999 for immediate action. — BERNAMA

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GEORGE TOWN — The Penang Hindu Association (PHA) has expressed concern over the sudden increase in prices of essential food items ahead of Thaipusam and the Chinese New Year, following complaints from consumers preparing for the festive season. 

Its president Datuk P. Murugiah said the association had received numerous reports of rising vegetable and essential goods prices, prompting a survey on Jan 26 at several retail shops and wet markets in Penang. 

He said the survey found that prices for 15 key items had risen between 14 per cent and 100 per cent in just over a month. 

According to the data, the price of tomatoes doubled from RM2.50 per kilogramme in December 2025 to RM5 per kg this month, while mangoes rose from RM5 to RM10 per kg. 

Other items such as ginger and brinjal saw increases of 87.5 per cent and 71.4 per cent respectively, while lady’s fingers, cauliflower and long beans recorded hikes of between 40 and 50 per cent. 

Murugiah noted that the price surge comes at a critical time, as devotees observing a vegetarian diet prior to Thaipusam are more affected, especially with more than 100 stalls along Western Road expected to provide free vegetarian meals to the public. 

He added that devotees and organisers involved in food distribution have been financially burdened by the sharp rise in vegetable prices. 

PHA also highlighted complaints from housewives regarding price differences between wet markets and retail shops, noting that many wet market stalls did not display price tags and weighing scales were often not visible to consumers. 

Murugiah urged the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry as well as the Prime Minister’s Department to investigate the matter and take action against unethical practices by retailers. 

He also called for stricter enforcement to ensure ceiling price policies are implemented, particularly during festive seasons, and suggested regular monitoring to prevent arbitrary price hikes aimed at higher profits. 

In addition, he said authorities should address frequent shortages of subsidised one-kg packets of cooking oil, stressing the need for random checks on retailers and wholesalers. — BERNAMA

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KUALA LUMPUR — The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) has busted a ketum juice processing and packaging operation with the arrest of six individuals during a raid at a residential premises in Rawang, Selangor, last Thursday.

Gombak police chief ACP Noor Ariffin Mohamad Nasir said that in the raid, conducted by the Narcotics Criminal Investigation Division (NCID) of the Gombak district police headquarters (IPD), police also seized 1,215.6 litres of ketum juice.

“Also seized were 20 kilogrammes of ketum leaves, as well as various processing equipment valued at RM21,060, believed to be intended for distribution around the Klang Valley.

“In addition, police also seized a Toyota Hiace vehicle which was parked in front of the premises,” he said in a statement today.

Noor Ariffin said checks found that all six suspects – a local man, three foreign men and two foreign women, aged between 21 and 38 – had no previous criminal records, while initial urine screening results were negative.

All suspects have been remanded for seven days until Jan 29 to assist in investigations under Section 30(3) of the Poisons Act 1952.

He also called on the public to continue providing information related to criminal activities to assist police in the ongoing crackdown. — BERNAMA

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