ROYALTY : UPKO PROPOSES A 20 % INCREASE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

KOTA KINABALU: Upko is all for any move by the State Government to discuss the possibility of increasing the oil royalty with the Federal Government together with the other oil producing states.

Its Secretary General Datuk Wilfred Madius Tangau, in a statement here Wednesday, said in fact Upko had recommended to the Barisan Nasional (BN) to include an increment of 20 per cent in oil royalty for the 13th General Election manifesto.

"So instead of waiting to be returned (as government) in the general election, the BN (as the present ruling party) should just go ahead and implement the increase in oil royalty. "In our submission to the BN headquarters, we have suggested an increase of 20 per cent and that is a good starting point for discussion," he said.

Tangau said Upko felt it was refreshing that both Sabah and Sarawak were making the move to work out an acceptable formula towards a new formula for oil royalty revenue sharing.

"Upko is confident that under the 1Malaysia: People First, Performance Now" concept, the Najib administration will consider the proposal positively. "If there is any move by the State Government to table a bill in the State Assembly to this effect, the vote of all the six Upko state assemblymen is assured," he said.