Oil royalty: 'During our administration, many ants were interrupting' - Hadi

KUALA LUMPUR - The Perikatan Nasional (PN) government 'didn't have the time to read' the oil royalty agreement involving the Terengganu state because 'there were many matters to attend to'.

Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang (PN-Marang) claimed while they were ruling many 'ants' were interrupting them until they witnessed several changes of Prime Ministers.

He said such in the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday after the question regarding Terengganu's oil royalty was raised by Lee Chean Chung (PH-Petaling Jaya).

The question arose after Hadi touched on the oil royalty issue in Terengganu while debating the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) Mid Term Review (MTP) in the august house.

"It was mentioned earlier that the agreement was not held. I would like to ask in the two years that the former government ruled, why was the agreement not updated? "Remaining tyrannical to the people of Terengganu, why was there no five percent royalty to the people of Terengganu at that time?" asked Chean Chung.

Hadi then responded with a statement where many had interrupted them during their rule.

"Actually we had several matters to manage, there was a lot on our plate. Our time as government they were many ants constantly disturbing us to topple the government.

"How would we be able to read this (oil royalty) agreement. We were forced to defend the government, having Prime Ministers forcibly changed.

"Our side had many capable of becoming the Prime Minister Larut (Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin) could, Pagoh (Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin) could, Arau (Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim) too.

The other side had one capable of becoming the Prime Minister. There are many here, if the other side comes here, we can have several Prime Minister candidates," he said. - AWANI