SOUND BITES

Where has the money gone to?

I reproduce here the payments made by Petronas to the Federal Government since 1976. That year the Government received RM300 million. The amount increased to RM2 billion in 1981. By 2003 it paid RM15.6 billion to the Federal Government. The total from 1981 to 2003 is RM168.8 billion in 22 years.

From then onwards it increased from RM19 billion in 2004 to RM67.8 billion in 2009. The total for six years is RM253.6 billion.

I am sure the Government had spent the money wisely. It would be interesting to know what the RM253.6 billion was spent on.

** FY Payment (in billion)

1976 0.3

1977 0.7

1978 0.7

1979 0.7

1980 1.8

1981 2.0

1982 2.6

1983 3.8

1984 4.3

1985 4.6

1986 5.0

1987 4.0

1988 4.4

1989 4.3

1990 5.5

1991 7.4

1992 7.1

1993 7.7

1994 7.3

1995 6.7

1996 6.8

1997 8.8

1998 9.6

1999 8.2

2000 12.0

2001 17.1

2002 14.0

2003 15.6

2004 19.0

2005 28.1

2006 37.8

2007 44.1

2008 56.8

2009 67.8

** Petronas Group payment to Federal Government inclusive of taxes, royalty, export duty and dividends