Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah has downplayed the possible impending action by Umno against him following his public appearance in Kota Bharu last week to discuss the oil royalty issue.

tengku razaleigh hamzah interview with malaysiakini 4 The veteran Gua Musang MP, who was the founder of Petronas, said whatever they wanted to do to him was irrelevant.

“The issue is what the law says. That law is the Petroleum Development Act that gave birth to Petronas. It gives Kelantan and Terenganu a legal right to five percent of the profit from oil found offshore.

“As chairman of Petronas, I drafted this law and signed these agreements on the instruction of the late former Premier Tun Abdul Razak Hussein. He wanted to ensure that the poorer states in the Peninsula would benefit from oil found off-shore.”

Tengku Razaleigh, affectionately known as Ku Li, said he knew they did not have oil on-shore.

Umno can do what they want

The Kelantan prince was asked to comment on the possible action  that might be taken against him following calls from Umno members that he be brought before the party's Supreme Council.

Kelantan Umno liason chief Mustapa Mohamed, who had announced a RM20 million compassionate fund,  had called on Umno Supreme Council to determine the action to be taken against Ku Li.

"It (the decision) is not within the jurisdiction of the Kelantan Umno. Only the Supreme Council can decide on the action to be taken against Tengku Razaleigh," Mustapa had said.

Other Umno leaders had also called on action to be taken against Tengku Razaleigh with Prime Minister and Umno president Najib Abdul Razak saying he would look into the matter.

Today, PAS secretary general, Mustafa Ali had also defended Tengku Razaleigh, following reports in several newspapers accusing the former Petronas chairman of flip-flopping on the oil royalty issue.

Tengku Razaleigh’s response was to good-humouredly play down his importance. “Who am I next  to the real issue, which is the law and the rights of the people. Umno can do what they want.  But after that they still have to deal with the law of the land and face the people.”