Terengganu will still benefit from oil royalty, says state PKR chairman
KUALA TERENGGANU: The people of Terengganu will still benefit in terms of equal quantum from the oil and gas royalty from the Pakatan Harapan Federal Government, but it will not be directly channelled to the current Pas state government.
Terengganu PKR chairman Azan Ismail said the state government did not need to polemise the oil royalty issue to mislead the people, as Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad would think of a suitable way for the people in the state to directly receive the benefits.
Azan, who is also Terengganu PH deputy chairman, said the state government was not entitled to claim royalty as there was a clear obstacle from the legal point of view when the state government (under the Barisan Nasional administration) voluntarily withdrew its suit against the federal government at the time.
“This makes the right to claim royalty through legal channels to be closed.
“There is no freedom to re-file the claim through court.
“Due to the different administrations of the federal and state governments, the issue of royalty payment rights is now only focused on the process of political negotiations between the Terengganu Pas government and the Federal Government
“The issue of oil royalty rights should not be the main debate of the Terengganu government at present.
“The focus on an accurate and effective administration and a review on the effectiveness of financial spending, as well as the return of investment on the hundreds of previous BN projects should be their priority, and needs to be done immediately, ” he said.
Kuala Terengganu member of parliament Ahmad Amzad Hashim had expressed his hope that the Federal Government would not repeat BN’s failure to respect the Petroleum Development Agreement 1975 and make royalty payments to Terengganu.
The statement was slammed by Terengganu PH chairman Datuk Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah.