Lim Guan Eng chided the Federal Territories minister for raising the issue in public before discussing it with the states concerned. — Picture by K.E. Ooi

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 2 — Saying “no” in three different languages, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng rejected today Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Mansor’s desire to stake federal control over the northern state as well as Langkawi and parts of Malacca.

Lim who is also secretary-general of DAP, which is an Opposition party at the federal level, chided the Federal Territories minister for raising the issue in public before discussing it with the states concerned, news portal Free Malaysia Today reported.

“We are not happy to give up our state. This is unacceptable. We will tell Adnan ‘Tidak, pu yao and mudiathu’,” he was quoted telling a news conference in George Town, Penang.

Penang deputy chief minister II, P. Ramasamy also echoed similar sentiments, casting doubt over Tengku Adnan’s suggestion as simply a political strategy.

“Why do you need a federal territories in Penang? Maybe it’s one way for the federal government to come and stay put here in Penang. I think it’s a political motive.

“First, he must justify why he needs such a federal territories in Penang, Malacca and other places. What is the necessity?

“I can understand we have Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan and Putrajaya is an administrative capital, but Penang is not an administrative capital so why?” Ramasamy told Malay Mail Online.

He also urged Tengku Adnan to explain the rationale behind his suggestion.

Tengku Adnan had yesterday told business radio station BFM in an interview, of his wish to expand the Federal Territories, to include Penang, Kedah’s island of Langkawi and parts of Malacca.

“I would like to expand the Federal Territories if I can. If I can, I would take Langkawi, Penang and certain parts of Malacca,” he said in the interview to mark Federal Territories Day today.

“With the involvement of the federal government, they would get more funding and more attention,” he added.

He also believed that the states would be happy to hand over control of certain areas to the federal government.