KUALA TERENGGANU, April 27 — The federal government has agreed to reduce the Terengganu government’s petroleum cash payments to five per cent from 25 per cent previously, as settlements for its debts for 2020.

Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar announced this via a statement on his Facebook page today.

"It is good news for the people of Terengganu today, as Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz have agreed to reduce the Terengganu government’s petroleum cash payments from 25 per cent to five per cent for 2020,” he said.

He said the decision was reached in his meeting with Muhyiddin and Zafrul which was also attended by Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yakob this afternoon.

Ahmad Samsuri said the meeting also discussed the state government’s financial affairs and the movement control order (MCO).

Recently, when appearing as a guest on the Bernama TV’s Ruang Bicara programme at Wisma Bernama in Kuala Lumpur, Ahmad Samsuri called on the federal government to reconsider the 25 per cent reduction in the petroleum cash payments as settlements for its debts.

He said this would enable the Terengganu government to focus more on the needs of its people especially in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic. — Bernama