From The Star

OPPOSITION leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will table a Private Members Bill to seek power to transfer the distribution of earnings of the country’s oil extraction income from the Federal Government to the state authorities.

He said checks were made on existing laws, including amendments, on oil extraction, profits and income in which state powers were transferred to Petronas.

He said he would table the Bill to ensure income from oil extracted from Kelantan, Terengganu, Sabah and Sarawak would be equally distributed to the states.

“At the same time, I will ask that the distribution be made according to accepted regulations to ensure that transparency is maintained,” Anwar said when debating the Budget 2010 at the committee stage.

Anwar said the Petroleum Deve-lopment Act maintained the state’s right to petroleum royalty.

It was reported that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had said that the Federal Government would pay a compassionate fund beginning next year to Kelantan for oil extracted from waters off the state.