The lifting of the Emergency Ordinance (EO) still does not allow Kelantan to qualify for oil royalty, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz.

This, he said, was because the EO, which limits a state's offshore rights to 12 nautical miles (22km) remains valid for six months after its lifting by Parliament.

"In the Emergency Ordinance, it defines that the state has rights up to 12 nautical miles from its shores and whatever that is beyond belongs to the federal government.

NONE "Even though Parliament has lifted the EO, there is still a six-month period where the law remains in force. This means the standards used to define the rights of the federal and state government is still based on the EO," Nazri ( right ) said at a forum in Kota Bharu on Thursday night.

While noting that the EO's grace period will eventually expire, Nazri said the federal government has yet to make a decision as the matter is in court.

"We will wait for the court's decision on who has rights over the oil fields which are located over 200km away from the Kelantan shore," he said.

However, Nazri denied that the federal government had discriminated against Kelantan because its government is led by PAS.

‘Kelantan not discriminated'

"After elections, when it comes to work, Kelantan is still part of Malaysia therefore we are responsible to ensure development in Kelantan.

"Even though the Kelantanese have rejected BN since 1990, we still provide funding and when there are disasters such as floods, federal ministers and myself personally go to the ground to help the people of Kelantan," he said.

Former Election Commission chairperson Abdul Rashid who is Kelantanese, echoed the sentiments of the audience.

"As a Kelantanese I believe we should get the RM600 million royalty. If Terengganu can get it, why not Kelantan?

"If the federal government is afraid that PAS will spend it then form a federal committee and channel it through there," he said.

Husam musa at forum political party transformation Cabaran Transformasi Parti Politik He further pointed that the federal government has failed to construct a highway for Kelantan.

"We need a highway, even Umno members will be able to benefit from such a highway," he quipped.

Also present at the forum was PAS vice president and Kelantan state exco Husam Musa ( left ).

On August 30, 2010, the Kelantan government filed a lawsuit against Petronas for alleged breach of contract by failing to pay oil royalty to the state.

The federal government has since applied as an intervener in the suit.