(Malaysian Mirror) - Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah said it is not a problem to him if Umno decides to take disciplinary action over his stand on the issue of oil royalty to Kelantan.
Reiterating his support for the state government's claim, the former Petronas chairman said Kelantan has the legal right to the oil royalty as stipulated in its agreement with the national petroleum corporation."I'm not concerned. I made my decision on what is true and based on the requirements of the law - not on personal greed.
"If Umno is angry, so be it!" he told a PAS Youth delegation who paid a courtesy call on the Gua Musang MP at his home here Tuesday.
Tengku Razaleigh, who once challenged Dr Mahathir Mohamad for the Umno presidency, joked: "I dared go against Mahathir. I am not afraid of anybody."
'Don't make it any issue'
The former Finance minister said Kelantan's claim to oil royalty should not be made a polemic issue nor any kind of issue as the matter was resolved far back in 1974 when he was Petronas chairman.
He added that the basis of setting up Petronas was to unite all Malaysians under a single federation.
"When I was chosen to head Petronas, I had discussions with all states and with all heads of state governments.
"We made pacts. The state governments had to surrender forever all oil rights to Petronas and on extracting the oil, Petronas has to give the state concerned 5% in royalty.
"Even if it (the royalty) is worth just two sen, it still has to be given."
Voices of dissent
After his public declaration on Jan 28 that he supports Kelantan's claim for oil royalty, several voices of dissent from Umno were heard that Ku Li (his affectionate name) had gone against Umno's official stand and should be penalised.
Umno had stood by the Federal decision to give Kelantan just a 'compassionate sum' in lieu of the oil royalty to the state.
On suggestions that he may be used as a political tool by Umno's opponents, Tengku Razaleigh said:
"I am not anybody's political tool - whether of the opposition or the ruling party.
"You can say I am the people's tool."
The former Finance minister said Kelantan's claim to oil royalty should not be made a polemic issue nor any kind of issue as the matter was resolved far back in 1974 when he was Petronas chairman.
He added that the basis of setting up Petronas was to unite all Malaysians under a single federation.
"When I was chosen to head Petronas, I had discussions with all states and with all heads of state governments.
"We made pacts. The state governments had to surrender forever all oil rights to Petronas and on extracting the oil, Petronas has to give the state concerned 5% in royalty.
"Even if it (the royalty) is worth just two sen, it still has to be given."
Voices of dissent
After his public declaration on Jan 28 that he supports Kelantan's claim for oil royalty, several voices of dissent from Umno were heard that Ku Li (his affectionate name) had gone against Umno's official stand and should be penalised.
Umno had stood by the Federal decision to give Kelantan just a 'compassionate sum' in lieu of the oil royalty to the state.
On suggestions that he may be used as a political tool by Umno's opponents, Tengku Razaleigh said:
"I am not anybody's political tool - whether of the opposition or the ruling party.
"You can say I am the people's tool."
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