Dompok says no Act cast in stone

"There is no Act that is cast in stone," Minister in the Prime Minister Tan Sri Bernard Dompok said today.

He was referring to what Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Haji Aman's Aman told the State Legislative Assembly on Thursday (Nov 20, 2008). Musa, who is also Sabah Finance Minister, said that Sabah could not seek a revision of the five per cent petroleum royalty because it was not provided for in the 1976 Petroleum Agreement signed between the State and Federal Governments.

Dompok, who is also UPKO president, did not agree with Musa. He said it was not impossible to amend statues and therefore not impossible to review the Sabah five per cent petroleum royalty. Although Sabah produce oil, under the 1976 agreement this State known as the Land Below the Wind is only paid five per cent royalty.

UPKO (United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun and Murut Organisation) , a component of the ruling Barisan Nasional had been vocal in its request to the Federal Government to increase the annual oil royalty to 20 per cent.

Dompok said it was up to the government of the day to decide what it wanted based from request arising from the people who wanted to see changes.

"But if out tell me that laws cannot be changed, then that cannot be true. It is not possible to amend the statues," he said. He said when the issue was recommended (by him) to the Federal Cabinet, there has been no outright decision to reject it.

"As far as I can see from the Cabinet's discussion, there had not been any definite decision. I hope the Federal Government will consider it in the future," Dompok said