KOTA BARU, Feb 7 – Political factors are the reasons why the Kelantan government rejected compassionate aid from the federal government, said International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed.
He said the state leaders were also not accustomed with the legal aspects of oil exploration when they pressed for oil royalty.
“There is no such thing as royalty in oil production. What we have are only cash payments or in the form of compassionate aid,” he said when briefing state civil servants on the oil royalty issue here today.
Mustapa, who is also Kelantan Umno liaison committee chairman, said Kelantan had not produced petroleum as claimed by the opposition leaders but only gas along the border with Thailand, which had been the subject of an overlapping claim.
“Even that, the quantity is very small and the RM20 million compassionate aid announced recently is adequate,” he said.
He said as such the opposition should not hoodwink the people on the non-existent oil royalty and instead clarify the actual agreement with Petronas to the people.
“A claim made by Member of Parliament for Gua Musang Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah on Jan 28 contradicted what he had said in his speech on Oct 2000 on compassionate aid for the Terengganu government,” said Mustapa.
Mustapa said he was saddened by the Kelantan government’s decision to reject the setting up of the state development committee without valid reasons.
On the contrary, he said, PAS wanted to hold a discussion on religious issues with Umno. – Bernama
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