BACHOK: The Federal Government will not deny the people the cash payments due to them from petroleum revenue, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

“It would not be fair and would also be against Islamic teachings,” he added, saying it was for this reason that the Government had set up a special committee to look into the issue.

Former chief justice Tun Abdul Hamid Mohamad will chair the committee, with its members comprising legal experts from within and outside the country as well as representatives from Pahang, Kelantan and Terengganu.

“The Barisan Nasional government is bound by Allah’s commands and one of these is being fair in our governance,” said Najib.

“We have to be fair to everyone and Barisan has always been fair to the masses.

“If we were not, I do not think anyone who supports the Opposition would have received any of the monetary assistance, like the 1Malaysia People’s Aid (BR1M) or the oil royalty compassionate fund distributed in Kelantan,” added Najib.

The Prime Minister was speaking at a breaking of fast event with 20,000 people here yesterday.

Najib said he had been made to understand that people wearing “red” and “green” shirts had also claimed the aid.

“About 95% of the people in Kelantan have claimed the money,” he said, adding that it was the Government’s responsibility to look into the people’s welfare and progress in every aspect.

“Accusations were made that the Government had cheated the people of Kelantan or is depriving them of their rights,” Najib said.

“I want to say that in this holy month of Ramadhan, the Government will never cheat the people of Kelantan, not even a barrel of oil,” he said.

In SHAH ALAM, Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat said he would seek an audience with the Sultan of Kelantan to get the Ruler’s consent over the state’s representative in the special committee.

The Mentri Besar added, however, that the state government had yet to decide on the candidate.

“I will be seeking an audience with the Sultan to get his consent on our candidate. Only after that will we announce the name,” Nik Aziz said at the launch of a trust fund for the planned Kota Baru-Kuala Krai highway here on Saturday night.

The Mentri Besar added that the committee was “long overdue”... - STARONLINE

MALAYSIA NEWS NAJIB RAZAK KELANTAN ROYALTI PETROLEUM