Amanah Youth questions use of petroleum money in Kelantan

Kelantan Amanah Youth has requested transparency on the use of petroleum money channelled to the state by Putrajaya.

Its leader Hazmi Hassan (above) said this was because until today no welfare improvements have been made by the state government despite the allocation.

“Where and what are the details of the use of the money after it was allocated? Forests are still being destroyed, water is still 'turbulent', job opportunities continue to decline like before and the price of goods are still rising.

"Does the Kelantan PAS leadership consider the goodwill payment to be 'aurat' (covered modesty) that it needs to be hidden from the people's knowledge?

"What is the plan for the RM400 million that has just been allocated and what has happened with the previous RM400 million?" he asked in a statement.

Yesterday, the Kelantan government explained that the state is still negotiating the payment of oil royalty with Putrajaya.

It claimed that the RM400 million given by the federal government to Kelantan before this was a goodwill payment.

In a statement, the Kelantan Menteri Besar's Office said the RM400 million was not a cash payment for petroleum royalties as had been claimed before.

Former exco member Husam Musa

Earlier, former senior state exco member Husam Musa reprimanded the Kelantan government and advised it to disclose the expenditure from the money for the people to know. 

The former vice-president of Amanah reminded that petroleum royalty should not be misused lavishly without benefiting the people.

Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz had also informed that the Kelantan government obtained an allocation of RM400 million from petroleum in 2020 and 2021.

He said the amount accounted for five percent of the output of oil rigs located close to the state.

Announce royalty revenue plans 

Hazmi also suggested that the state government announce all expenditure and royalty revenue plans to the people.

“In addition, the money must be used to improve infrastructure and help young people and traders affected by the post-movement control order.

"The RM800 million is also the result of the struggle of the people of Kelantan. It is not fair when the government receives the allocation, but the voices and opinions of the people who are fighting together in this matter are set aside," he said.

Kelantan previously sued the federal government because it thought the state was entitled to royalties from petroleum production in its waters.

Under the BN administration, it only distributed goodwill payments to Kota Bharu.

When the Pakatan Harapan government led the central administration, Kelantan received the royalties but under the current government, it returned to goodwill payment.

Petroleum royalty payment was one of the promises in Harapan's manifesto during the 2018 general election. - Mkini