Run-up to K. Terengganu by-election: Come clean on oil royalty, govt told

(NST) – Pas president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang wants the government to "come clean" about the actual amount "owed" to the people of Terengganu on unpaid oil royalty.

"The numbers announced by Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said do not add up," he said at a press conference at the Parliament lobby yesterday. "We have all the records and we will reveal them during the campaigning period of the by-election."

Ahmad had earlier announced that the Federal Government had disbursed RM7.64 billion in oil royalty owed to the state, revealing that they were still waiting for another RM1.5 billion in unpaid dues.

Hadi argued that the unpaid dues should be a billion ringgit more.

He said the oil royalty should not be used to build airports and other amenities in the state.

"Airports must be built by the Federal Government. We want to know whether the 'wang ehsan' is also part of the oil royalty," he said, referring to the money given to the state during Pas rule.