Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Abdul Rahman Dahlan has called on PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli to be grateful for Saudi Aramco's investment in Petronas' Refinery and Petrochemical Integrated Development (Rapid) complex in Pengerang, Johor.

"Do you people still believe Rafizi?" he responded when questioned on the opposition lawmaker's remarks concerning the US$7 billion (RM31 billion) agreement.

On March 28, Rafizi had asked if Abdul Rahman's intervention had led to Petronas paying a higher price for crude oil from Saudi Aramco.

The Pandan lawmaker cited media reports on Saudi Aramco purportedly giving up plans to ink the deal due to the belief that the project would not generate sufficient revenues.

"This means that one of the main reasons why there was no agreement between Petronas and Saudi Aramco before the intervention of (prime minister) Najib (Abdul Razak) and Abdul Rahman was due to investment returns rate determined by Saudi Aramco which Petronas did not agree with," he said.

The deal, Rafizi pointed out, involved Saudi Aramco's agreement to supply crude oil which is the main substance to be processed at the Pengerang complex.

Job creation

However, Abdul Rahman argued that the agreement would create employment opportunities for Malaysians.

"I hope Rafizi is grateful that the Saudi Arabian government and Saudi Aramco chose Malaysia.

"The deal creates 60,000 job opportunities for the construction of the Pengerang (complex). And when completed, there will be 8,000 jobs for Malaysians," he told reporters in Putrajaya this morning.

Abdul Rahman said the responsibility of developing the economy is not with the government alone, but the opposition as well and therefore urged Rafizi not to be preoccupied with politics.

"So if that is called unfair, I don't know what else to say.

"I wish to state that my view is that it is not only the government's work to develop the economy. Rafizi is also responsible, so don't indulge too much in politics," he added.

Right place and time

On March 25, Abdul Rahman said he was "at the right place and time" to help secure Saudi Aramco's investment.

He said the multi-billion ringgit deal had been progressing slowly for two years and he was sent to Saudi Arabia to facilitate the deal.

"I was sent by the prime minister to Riyadh at the end of last year after negotiations became very slow.

"They were not straightforward at the formal meeting, but during an informal meet outside, they told me that they were worried about Malaysia's economic situation," said the minister, adding that he had then cleared the air on this.