KUCHING: It is good for the Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to touch on the aspect of 20 per cent oil royalty for oil-producing states, said Minister for Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.
“But what he uttered was not clear. He said 20 per cent royalty one time, then another time said 20 per cent profit.
“There is a great difference between 20 per cent royalty and 20 per cent profit,” he explained after the Dance and Melayu Asli singing competition at Rumah Sarawak, Jalan Budaya here yesterday.
He added that if it was 20 per cent profit and the price of oil in the world dipped with high production cost, the 20 per cent could be less that the 5 per cent royalty that the State was getting now.
“So, I don’t know whether it was done on purpose or it was not explained to him.
“Of course what Sarawak is asking is to get 20 per cent of oil production as we do not know what the cost covers,” he said adding that at the end of the day, the profit would be very small.
He also said that the State government would use any allocation, contribution, dividend and royalty received from the Federal government.
“We will always use it for the benefit of our people to provide better infrastructure and now, one of our focus as said by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi (Dr) Abang Johari Tun Openg is that he want all villages and rural areas to have clean water, electricity and good connectivity.
“Apart from that, we cannot be left behind in the present digital world. The world is connected by digital technology and Internet. We need to invest in that despite it being very costly.
“We hope the Pakatan Harapan government will consider us as we cannot be given a small amount like other small state,” he said.
He emphasised that it was the State’s resources that were given out to other states in Malaysia.
“So, they have to consider us although we are not with PH,” said Karim.
