Parliament speaker Mohamed Zahir Ismail today dismissed PAS' request to debate the Terengganu oil royalties issue, saying that the party's allegation that the federal government's withdrawal of the royalties is an act of "political revenge" is "uncalled for".

Zahir said that he is satisfied with the government's explanation that the money will still be contributed to Terengganu in the form of "goodwill payment" which will be used for development like building more water pipes and equipping more houses with electricity.

He rejected the motion under sections 18(1) and 18(2) of the Parliamentary Meeting Guidelines.

"After due consideration, I am rejecting it because it is not a specific issue. Neither does it concern the whole nation, nor does it require immediate attention," he said.

Opposition leader Fadzil Mohd Noor had requested in a letter dated Oct 13 for the House to debate the motion, saying the withdrawal of oil royalties from Terengganu "violates democratic principles, federalism and is a breach of the Constitution".

Fadzil, who is also MP for Pendang (Kedah), considered the act a "political revenge" which is disgusting, oppressive and cruel to the PAS and Barisan Alternatif-led government.

Opposition furor

The speaker's decision caused a furor in the opposition bench, with MP for Pokok Sena (Kedah) Mahfuz Omar (PAS) challenging Zahir to justify his decision.

"Dear Speaker, how can you say that this issue does not concern the nation when it is a question of a breach of agreement made between Terengganu and Petronas?" said Mahfuz, waving the agreement in his hand.

Mahfuz, who is also PAS Youth chief, had to repeat his question because of the surrounding din. However, he was asked to stop by the Barisan Nasional backbenchers.

Agreements pertaining to the payment by oil company Petronas to Terengganu stated that it is royalty payable in cash to the state government and not "goodwill" payment as claimed by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, according to Terengganu PAS exco for Petroleum Development, Mustafa Ali [#1](Payment to Terengganu is an 'oil royalty'[/#], Oct 5).

Mahathir recently claimed that the payment was not royalty but a "goodwill" payment made to the state in consideration of its economic backwardness.

He also said the federal government does not trust the PAS-led government to handle the money and therefore wants the "goodwill" payment to go directly to financing infrastructure instead of being channelled through the state government.

Fadzil, in tabling the motion, reiterated that the Federal Constitution should be respected and the colonial-style violation by the federal government is much regretted.

"They (BN) should accept the reality that the majority of the Malays have rejected Umno and now stand loyally behind PAS and BA," he said.

"This matter also concerns the whole nation because it undermines the government's credibility, suffocates democracy and robs Terengganu of its rights," he added.