‘Oil royalty talks to be like family discussion’
KOTA KINABALU: The talks between the Sabah and the federal governments on the oil royalty will be conducted like a family discussion to arrive at an agreement amicable to both the parties, Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said yesterday.
He said the team approach is important so that the issue of the oil royalty, which is very close to the hearts of the Sabah people, could be thoroughly discussed and implemented.
“We will work together as a team and as a family to resolve the problem. What is important is for us to find a solution,” he said to reporters after attending the statelevel Warriors’ Day celebration here.
Mohd Shafie said the Sabah government is aware that the apportioning of the oil royalty was in the Pakatan Harapan ( PH) manifesto and, as the chief minister, he would continue to bring up the matter as it concerns the interests of the people of Sabah.
This would include setting up a special body to fine-tune discussions with the federal government and coming up with a formula for the apportioning of the oil royalty, he said.
“This formula (for the oil royalty) is important to us. The request to increase the royalty to 20 per cent is something close to the hearts of the people of Sabah and Sarawak and, I am sure, to the people in the other oil-producing states like Terengganu,” he said. — Bernama