General
Taib to discuss oil royalty with Putrajaya
KUCHING: Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud has hit out at the opposition's promise to increase Sabah and Sarawak's oil royalty from five to 20 per cent if Pakatan Rakyat wins the next general election.
He was responding to questions by reporters at his Hari Raya open house on Sunday at the Borneo Convention Centre on the oil royalty issue.
This followed the recent announcement by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak that a special committee was being set up to study the petroleum royalty to east coast states as well as the call from the state's Barisan Nasional elected representatives for an increase.
Taib said he did not want to comment publicly on the announcement as he preferred to talk directly to the prime minister "quietly".
Bernama quoted Taib as saying that the state government would discuss the need to review the current oil royalty paid to Sarawak, based on the prevailing close relationship and goodwill between both sides.
"The matter will be discussed with the Federal Government, based on my good relationship with the prime minister."
Many state political leaders had said that a review of the petroleum royalty to east coast states should include Sarawak and Sabah since both were the main contributors to the national petroleum production.
Sarawak Barisan Nasional deputy Wanita head Datuk Fatimah Abdullah was quoted as saying it was time to revise the five per cent oil royalty agreement since it was made more than four decades ago.
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