No reason to retract our statement, says MTEM

(The Star) – The Malay Economic Action Council (MTEM), a group of 47 Malay business groups, said its demand for Petronas president Datuk Shamsul Azhar Abbas to quit stays despite the national oil company’s pledge to look into their grouses.

Following a two-hour meeting between them on Wednesday, council chairman Datuk Syed Ali Alatas said Petronas had agreed to set up a joint committee to thrash out issues, including accusations that the oil giant had sidelined local companies in awarding major contracts.

While describing it as a “positive meeting”, he said the council saw no reason to retract its earlier stand that Shamsul should resign.

“People can repent. For example, a divorced couple can reconcile. There is no reason to retract our statement but if they repent… then we’ll see.

“But now there is no change in our position. Our statement stands,” Syed Ali told reporters here yesterday.

MTEM would send a letter to Shamsul today (Friday) for him to confirm what had been discussed at the meeting and hopes to receive a reply by Feb 21, he said.

Syed Ali had alleged earlier this month that Petronas had awarded its major contracts to foreign companies while equally qualified local companies were left out.