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Tuesday June 30, 2009

Show that we deserve oil royalty, says BN rep

By SYED AZHAR


KOTA BARU: Barisan Nasional assemblyman and state opposition leader Datuk Alwi Che Ahmad will back the Kelantan government’s demand for RM1bil in oil royalty from the Federal Govern-ment if the state can provide proof that it deserves the payment.

During the debate on the Supplementary Bill, Alwi (BN — Ketereh) said he was tired of the arguments over the oil royalty but if the state government could come up with concrete proof, then it would be good to demand the money for the betterment of Kelantan people.

“But if you only have a piece of paper and call it proof, then it will not suffice as more evidence is needed to state one’s case at the federal level.

“I am all for it and I would say it would be good for Kelantan if the government gets what is due to it, but one cannot simply provide insufficient proof and hope to get the money,” he said at the state assembly sitting in Kota Baru yesterday.

Meanwhile, the assembly unanimously agreed to pay a monthly allowance of RM50,000 to Acting Sultan Tengku Muhamad Faris Petra, who is holding office for his father who is recuperating from a heart ailment in a Singapore hospital.

Mentri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, who tabled the motion, proposed the sum under Article 22A and 22B of the State Constitution.

He said the allowance would be paid for as long as he was the Acting Sultan.

Tengku Muhamad became Ac-ting Sultan from May 24, he said.

The motion was unanimously accepted.

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