‘Open up Petronas’ books’

Prime Minister Najib must move to amendment the Petroleum Development Act 1974, says a Sabah state rep from DAP.

KOTA KINABALU: A Sabah state legislative assembly representative has called for greater  transparency, accountability and creditability in the shadowy world of the nation’s oil wealth that is now only privy to the Prime Minister.

Luyang representative Hiew King Cheu said the need to amend the Petroleum Development Act 1974 is in line with Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s declared intentions of creating a more responsible government.

“Prime Minister Najib must now propose to move an amendment to the Petroleum Development Act 1974 to ensure transparency, accountability and creditability,” said Hiew here.

“Najib should first start with the petroleum royalty for Sabah and Sarawak, Terengganu and Kelantan,” Hiew said, adding that no one knows for sure the income, investments and expenses of the national oil company Petronas.

“We want everything to be transparent like on the actual production, sales and income figures for the computation of the 5% oil royalty for Sabah and Sarawak, other percentages for Terengganu and Kelantan, et cetera.

“PM Najib must get really serious and come out with an order on transparency instead of just telling his cabinet to be transparent,” he said latching on to the premier’s transparency pledge in his first cabinet meeting.

Hiew stressed that Najib must walk the talk and prove his sincerity and commitment with the right actions.

“Now that the 13th general election has passed and the people of Malaysia have given their mandate, we have to move on to see how serious the Najib administration is in its transparency ideas,” he said.

He also said if the East Malaysians were not happy with Najib’s performance and the 12 full cabinet minister posts for Sabahan and Sarawakian Mps in the new federal administration, the 47 elected BN MPs from East Malaysia could always leave the ruling coalition and join Pakatan Rakyat which has promised to surrender 20% oil royalty along with other full benefits to the two East Malaysian states.

“This will be a better deal for the East Malaysians. The people of Sabah and Sarawak want to see progress and development,” he said.

Hiew also stressed that those promises that had not been fulfilled in the past should now be completed since BN and Najib have won the 13th general election.

“It is now time for Najib to show that he is really serious in his promises to the Sabahans that progress and development must take precedence,” he added.