PADANG BESAR: Fahmi Fadzil has reminded Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar not to be a hypocrite following Terengganu State Legislative Assembly's rejection of the Territorial Sea Act 2012 yesterday.
Fahmi, who is the unity government spokesperson and communications minister said the Terengganu Menteri Besar should have asked Marang member of parliament Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang on why the Pas president did not object when the bill was tabled, debated and approved in Parliament 12 years ago.
"I take note on the view shared by Datuk Seri Menteri Besar (Terengganu) via a Facebook posting yesterday and I took the opportunity to review the Dewan Rakyat Handsard between April 18 or April 19, 2012 when the Bill was tabled, debated and approved.
"In the session that lasted between two and three hours, there were 21 members of parliament taking part in the debate but none of the MPs from Terengganu, especially from Pas including the Marang MP took part in the debate.
"Thus, I wish to ask the Terengganu menteri besar to ask the Marang MP on why was that when the Bill was tabled, debated and approved. He ( Hadi) did not raise any objection at that time," Fahmi told reporters after carrying out progress work check on the northern region's Point of Presence (POP) at SMK Padang Besar Utara here today.
Fahmi claimed it was the MPs from Kelantan who had been vocal in the debate and not MPs from Terengganu.
"Of course, many are questioning why Pas MPs from Kelantan, especially from Tumpat and Kubang Kerian debated the Bill. So don't be a hypocrite.
"If this issue is all about power, why was nothing done when Pas was in power for 33 months? So to me, it is very cynical and hypocritical," Fahmi said.
He said Shamsuri should have also discussed the Terengganu oil royalty issue with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to find a solution.
Yesterday, the state assembly in Terengganu unanimously passed a motion to reject the Territorial Sea Act 2012 (Act 750), citing its infringement on the state's rights to explore resources and generate revenue within its maritime borders.
Samsuri was reported as saying that the state government's opposition to the law was due to its non-compliance with the conditions outlined in Article 2(b) and Article 38(4) of the Federal Constitution.
He had said Article 2(b) stipulated that laws altering a state's boundaries cannot be enacted without the consent of the respective state and the Conference of Rulers.
In February, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said told the Dewan Rakyat that Kelantan and Terengganu are ineligible for the five per cent petroleum revenue payments as the relevant law stipulates that states can only claim rights within three nautical miles.
During a previous Terengganu state assembly session, Samsuri disclosed that the state government had yet to receive approximately RM1 billion in oil royalties for 2023 from Putrajaya.