IT was not Dr Mahathir Mohamad who rejected Kelantan’s oil royalty demands, said the state’s Pakatan Harapan chairman Husam Musa.
Malay daily Sinar Harian reported Husam as saying the accusation aimed at the PH and Bersatu chairman is misplaced, as Dr Mahathir was no longer the prime minister when oil extraction began in 2004.
“There were PAS leaders who said Dr Mahathir did not want to pay. The person didn’t check. Dr Mahathir quit in 2002, our oil was extracted in 2004. How could Dr Mahathir have blocked (the royalties)? There was no oil, this is slander. It is clear that those who made the allegation did not check (their facts) ,” he was quoted as saying in the paper.
Husam added that Barisan Nasional’s accusation that the former prime minister denied Kelantan’s right to oil royalties during his term was not true.
He said during his term, Dr Mahathir had agreed with then menteri besar Nik Aziz Nik Mat to develop a petroleum hub at Pantai Senok, Bachok.
“I want to correct it. Dr Mahathir never discriminated against Kelantan. (It was) the person who was ‘king’ then, Annuar Musa … The proof is that Dr Mahathir had agreed with Tok Guru Nik Aziz who wanted to develop a petroleum hub in Senok.
“A factory was built, and KUB Malaysia Bhd (KUB) was appointed with Perbadanan Kemajuan Iktisad Negeri Kelantan (PKINK), but the 1997-1998 economy crisis hit and the project didn’t materialise,” said the former Kelantan exco.
Najib had said last month that his administration gave more money to Kelantan than Dr Mahathir’s.
The federal government allocated RM14.67 billion to Kelantan from 2006 to 2018, compared to RM12.07 billion from 1981 to 2005.
Dr Mahathir was prime minister from 1981 to 2003. Najib took over from Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in 2009.
– https://www.themalaysianinsight.com
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