Whether it is about Kedah’s rights for what flows in the Muda River to the exclusion of neighbouring Penang’s claims, Sanusi has no qualms about dispensing with the broad survey for the parochialism of his focus on his state’s rights, to the exclusion of all else.

Witness his spat with the federal government over the issue of building an airport in Kulim and how he tried to wrap up the issue as a fait accompli when it turned out that even elementary preliminaries like submission of plans, costings and finances were up in the air rather than down pat.

At times, Sanusi is like a magician who’s come to play conjuring tricks at a children’s party, save that an electorate, even one like Kedah’s that in large part is composed of rather simple rural folk, cannot be easily gulled.

He is certainly the most high-profile state CEO in the country, not from public accomplishments but more from a penchant for controversy and skirmishes with detractors who don’t like his outspokenness and ideological rigidity of his party, PAS.

The fact that his fellow menteris besar in Kelantan and Terengganu are bland, even insipid politicos, makes Sanusi look like a square peg in a round hole.

One suspects an apparent relish in the man for the colourful contrast he strikes compared to his two counterparts: In a party of dour and impassive clerics, Sanusi is a smiling, albeit, belligerent presence.

He allowed himself a touch of triumphalism when he said, on the morrow of Perikatan Nasional’s near sweep of parliamentary seats at GE15, that had there been a state poll in addition to the parliamentary one, the outcome would have been a 36-0 sweep for PN of the state wards. 

For one outwardly disposed towards optimism, Sanusi seems fretful about Anwar’s move to hold the first of his Raya Open Houses in Alor Setar tomorrow (Saturday, April 29).

Could it be that Sanusi’s bravado is a veneer masking apprehension over the PM’s vaunted ability for drawing support from ordinary people susceptible to the charms of a populist leader?

It will not be long before we will know.

Word has it that all six states – Penang, Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan – will dissolve their state assemblies in mid-June for polls a month later.