KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 31 — Datuk Husam Musa has scoffed at a call for PAS to unite with political foe Umno and set up a joint government to rebuild flood-stricken Kelantan.
In a statement today, the Islamist party’s vice-president said PAS-led Kelantan would be able to benefit from the RM3 billion in oil royalty payments allegedly owed it by state oil firm Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas).
“What say Petronas who has collected all of the riches from Kelantan’s seas without any contribution (to the state) show their humanity by giving RM3 billion for this purpose?” he said in a short statement.
Earlier today, the owner of Malay-language newspaper Sinar Harian said that only a Kelantan PAS-Umno unity government can rebuild the state which has suffered one of the worst seasonal monsoon floods in decades.
In an interview with Sinar Harian owner Datuk Dr Hussamuddin Yaacub, the paper quoted him as saying that all parties needed to take stock and learn from the floods tragedy, and that any hope of restoring Kelantan’s infrastructure and economy cannot be done without a smooth cooperation between Putrajaya and the state government.
“If it is just cooperation it will not suffice, there will be fighting. What Kelantan Umno and PAS must do is combine under a unity government to restore the state. There is no other way,” the Kelantanese businessman had said.
Putrajaya has consistently stated that under current laws, Kelantan like other states in Peninsular Malaysia, did not have any right to claim a 5 per cent cash payment for the petroleum mined more than three nautical miles from the point of low tide or state coast line.
But the Finance Ministry has also said that up to RM50 million would be channeled to the Kelantan Islamic Affairs and Malay Customs Council, as well as the Kelantan Federal Development Department in a 50:50 ratio, to distribute to the people as “wang ehsan” or goodwill payment.
