TERENGGANU'S DECISION TO REJECT TERRITORIAL SEA ACT CYNICAL, HYPOCRITICAL - FAHMI

PADANG BESAR, April 26 (Bernama) -- Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil today said the Terengganu government’s decision to reject the Territorial Sea Act 2012 through a motion passed in the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) yesterday, has been seen as a cynical and hypocritical act.

Fahmi, who is also the spokesperson for the Unity Government, said it was because there were no PAS lawmakers from Terengganu who objected to the bill when it was tabled, debated and passed in the Dewan Rakyat before.

“I took note of Datuk Seri Menteri Besar’s (Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar) statement through a post on Facebook yesterday and I took the opportunity to check and study the hansard or the official statement of the Dewan Rakyat on April 18, 2012, when the Territorial Sea Bill 2012 was tabled, debated and passed.

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“During the debate session, which took about two or three hours, there were 21 Members of Parliament (MPs) who participated in the debate on the Territorial Sea Bill.

“But, there was not a single MP from Terengganu, especially from PAS, including the Marang MP, involved in the debate at that time,” he said after visiting the Northern Zone Fibre Optic Point of Presence (PoP) Network Hub here today.

Fahmi said that although several PAS MPs did participate in the debate, they were from Kelantan and not Terengganu.

Therefore, he said Ahmad Samsuri needs to ask Marang MP Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang the reason he did not use the opportunity at that time to protest against the bill.

“Don't be a hypocrite, the Menteri Besar of Terengganu needs to ask the Marang MP why when this bill was debated, he kept his silent and if his issue was about power, then why was not a single thing done in the 33 months of PAS being involved in the government in Putrajaya,” he said.

Fahmi said Ahmad Samsuri should sit down and discuss with the federal government, especially Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to find a solution to the matter.

Yesterday, the Terengganu State Assembly 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.

-- BERNAMA