KOTA BARU: Kelantan government will continue to fight for its five per cent petroleum royalty despite the Federal Government's stand that the east coast state and Terengganu do not qualify for it.
State Youth, Sports and Non-Governmental Organisations Committee chairman Wan Roslan Wan Hamat said the federal government's stand on the matter surprised the state government.
Therefore, he said the state government would discuss the issue with several legal experts as well as non-governmental organisations to find a solution for the issue.
"The people can make their judgment following the latest decision by the Federal government.
"On our side, we will find a way to ensure we can get the royalty," he told a Press conference at his office today.
Law and Institutional Reform Minister Datuk Seri Azalina Said Othman recently told the Dewan Rakyat that Kelantan and Terengganu do not qualify for a 5 per cent royalty on petroleum because Petronas extracted crude oil beyond the state's three nautical mile limit.
Azalina said the Territorial Sea Act stipulates that states can only claim rights up to three nautical miles.
She said this when asked by former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (PN-Pagoh) whether the federal government would channel oil revenue directly to the states similar to what was done by his government.