PM: Federal government fair and transparent, does not deny rights of Kelantan people
BACHOK, Aug 5 — Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the federal government had never denied the rights of the people of Kelantan in whatever matter, including the cash payment claim from petroleum revenue.
The prime minister said the Barisan Nasional (BN) government was always fair and transparent towards all Malaysians.
"As a BN-led government, we must follow Allah's commands. Among them, we must be fair in governing, and the BN government is indeed fair to the people," he said in his speech at his breaking-of-fast with the people and handing-out of welfare aid to the recipients at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Dato Perdana, here, tonight.
Also present were International Trade and Industry Minister and Kelantan BN chief Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed and Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Dr Awang Adek Hussin, who is also Bachok Umno division chief.
Speaking in front of over 20,000 Bachok residents, Najib stressed that the federal government was impartial in meeting the needs of the people, whatever their political ideology.
"We are fair to all Malaysians because we fear Allah, and not other people. We do not deceive, that is why when the oil issue arose....it could not be resolved until now. (But) Datuk Pa (Mustapa), Awang Adek and I too have been targeted, accused of cheating the people of Kelantan. Here, in Kelantan and in this holy month of Ramadan, (we state that) we are not denying the rights of the Kelantan people.
"We want to be fair, transparent and open a new chapter for the people of Kelantan; that the federal government is not denying their rights even over a barrel of petroleum," he said.
The prime minister said to resolve the issue of oil royalty cash payment, the federal government had set up a special committee to study and resolve the issue in a fair and transparent manner for the peninsula's east coast states of Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang.
"We must act based on the country's constitution, taking into consideration where the oil wells are. Petronas will clarify where they are at sea. But we've decided a cash payment of five per cent for Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang."
Najib said he had sent a letter to the Sultan of Kelantan Sultan Muhammad V and Menteri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat to choose a representative to be part of the special committee.
He wants the representative to be someone who would not side any party but having "the spirit and soul of the Kelantan people".
Najib also said that he was happy with the turnout at tonight's function and also at previous ones that he had attended, which showed increasing public support for BN.
He said the people of Kelantan wanted change and BN was prepared to bring about transformation including solving the clean water supply problem in the state.
At tonight's function, the prime minister also announced the building of Bachok Hospital which will begin next year. — Bernama
