Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad witnesses the signing ceremony between KA Petra chairman Datuk Shahrul Amirul and Hutchinson Port Holdings Limited group managing director Eric Ip in Putrajaya April 2, 2019. — Picture by Mukhriz Hazim
Despite the transfer hub operating 3.5 nautical miles away from the coast, however, he argued that Article 2 of the Federal Constitution stipulates that while Parliament may legally alter the boundaries to any state, this was not effective without the state legislature and Conference of Rulers' consent.
The Bukit Batu assemblyman argued that this meant the state’s water jurisdiction remained 12 nautical miles and not three as stipulated by Section 3 , which he asserted to be unconstitutional until it is validated by the state assembly and ruler. He said his position was supported by precedents in cases involving legal challenges Sabah, Sarawak and Kelantan filed against the specific section of the law.