Assemblyman: State govt not making Malacca a Federal Territory

MALACCA: For now, the state government has no plans or intention to make the state a part of the Federal Territory, the Malacca State Assembly Sitting was told today.
Malacca Housing, Local Government and Environment Exco Datuk Ismail Othman said Malacca wanted to keep its identity as a state which is rich in history and culture from the various communities living here.
"We should be proud of this identity as we have inherited a state with an identity of history and culture, making it a major tourist destination.
"We will keep this as Malacca's identity," he said in reply to an oral question from Khoo Poay Tiong (DAP-Ayer Keroh) who wanted to know the state's stand on the proposal to make Malacca a part of the Federal Territories.
The Minister of Federal Territories Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor was reported as saying that Penang, Langkawi (Kedah), Pulau Tioman (Pahang) and some parts of Malacca were suitable to be made a Federal Territory.
Ismail said making Malacca a part of the Federal Territories was not against the Federal Constitution.
However, he said, the proposal must first be agreed by the Conference of Rulers and the State Government.
"The state government has noted the minister's (Tengku Adnan) proposal, it can be realised in the spirit of federalism, but it is expected to take a long time.
"It is not easy changing the borders of a state, it needs scrutiny and must be seen from the aspect of authority," he said.
Ismail said what Tengku Adnan said was not an issue, but his own views and hopes.
"This is something which became an issue after it was blown up by certain parties. The minister was actually hoping to see things get better for the people in Penang who have been burdened with a high cost of living and housing," he said. — Bernama