'WITH END OF EMERGENCY,BN CAN NOW PAY OIL ROYALTY TO KELANTAN

Nov 25: Based on the argument by minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Aziz that oil royalty for Kelantan was held back due to the Emergency Ordinance on the state, the lifting of all Emergency proclamations yesterday means royalty should now be paid.

PAS vice president and Kubang Kerian member of parliament Salahuddin Ayub said Nazri had cited the Emergency laws as reason for denying oil royalty to the state.“This is the argument used by Nazri when concluding the discussion on oil royalty declaring Kelantan was not entitled for it.


"Now, with the cancellation of the emergency ordinance, the prime minister must declare that Kelantan deserves its oil royalty,” said Salahuddin Ayub at the parliament lobby yesterday.In 2009, Nazri stated in parliament that Kelantan was only entitled to oil found within three nautical miles from its shores as it was restricted by the emergency declaration under 1969 Emergency Ordinance imposed on the state in 1977.


Salahuddin also echoed Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim saying it would be useless to lift the emergency proclamations if laws related to them were still enforced.Yesterday, Najib tabled the abolishment of three emergency proclamations. They include the 1966 Sarawak and 1977 Kelantan emergency declarations to contain political crises there,and the May 13 emergency laws in the wake of the racial riots of 1969.HD