KUALA LUMPUR, July 30 — Sarawak Pakatan Harapan (PH) leader Chong Chieng Jen assured the state government that it will receive 20 per cent of oil profits from Putrajaya on top of the 5 per cent royalty it gets currently.

He clarified that the 20 per cent oil profit share that the federal government intends to provide to the states will not replace the 5 per cent oil royalty deal, which exists between the state government and national oil and gas company Petronas.

"Finally, after two months after the change of government, there is at least an additional revenue to the state,” he said. 

Chong, who was accompanied by Sarawak PKR chief and Works Minister Baru Bian, added that the state PH has not given up its pursuit of a 20 per cent oil royalty as alleged by the Sarawak state government. 

The Sarawak ruling parties previously criticised Chong for saying that Putrajaya’s move was in keeping with the Pakatan Harapan electoral pledges.

They had insisted that the 20 per cent oil royalty demand was from total revenue and not gross profits alone as stated by Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali.

However, Chong reiterated today that the current predicament was something that the Sarawak state government had "brought upon themselves” after rejecting the state autonomy agenda proposed by PH.

"Given the state government’s rejection of the above offer, the Federal Government was compelled to renegotiate the whole offer, and thus the 20 per cent oil profit issue arose for Sarawak,” he said.