Musa Slams Anwar Over Oil Royalty Issue

KOTA KINABALU, Nov 24 (Bernama) -- Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman took to task Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for continuing to play up the oil royalty issue to further his political interests.
Musa said when Anwar was deputy prime minister and finance minister, he never championed the matter for Sabah.
Instead, he said, according to former Sabah cabinet minister Datuk Tham Nyip Shen, at one time when Anwar was acting Prime Minister, he (Anwar) had ordered the state government to renew 88 lottery licences, when in fact they had been revoked because the owners had violated laws.
According to Tham, he said, Anwar had threatened to fire any Sabah minister who was against the directive.
"Is this the type of leader, who is clearly an opportunist and a hypocrite, who we can hope will champion the cause of the people of Sabah?," he told reporters here.
As such, Musa, who is also state Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman, said he hoped all quarters, especially BN leaders would not fall into the opposition's trap of trying to use the oil royalty issue to gain political support in Sabah.
He said the Sabah BN government had never at any time neglected the interests of Sabahans in the matter.
During a visit to Sabah last week, Anwar had disputed a statement by Musa that the oil royalty agreement signed between the state and the federal government in 1976 did not have any provisions for a rate review.
Anwar had said that the rate could be reviewed and assured that the rates for Sabah and Sarawak would be raised from the five per cent at present to 20 per cent if the Pakatan Rakyat came into power.
Musa added that Umno and other state BN leaders had suggested to the federal government to review the rate.
"We have raised this matter in line with the wishes of the leaders and people. Although the rate has remained the same until now, we should not view it from the aspect of oil royalty alone," he said.
Musa said Sabah had received huge allocations from the federal government including RM20 billion under the Ninth Malaysia Plan, Sabah Development Corridor (RM2.3 billion), for road projects that ran into billions and other development programmes.
He added that the state government would continue with its efforts to bring development for the people and also help alleviate their burden during the present difficult economic situation.

tunku : sabah and sarawak should not fall into this moron's trap. he did nothing when he has all the means to do so especially when he was the finance minister.instead he helped his cronies to make billions and with that money, he is still surviving till now and running a party with that money too.now because wanting votes, he is promising moon and stars. yes may be he can give the 20% royalty to the both state but that's all they'll get.right now, though sabah and sarawak getting 5% royalty but there are getting the largest allocation under the budget and also Malaysia Plan.after all the oil production is not increasing, it is decreasing day by day.so don't believe this moron.