There goes $100b down the drain…
April 30,2010
By Leslie Lau
Executive Editor of The Malaysian Insider
Abdullah allegedly gave up the oil rights to resolve the Limbang dispute with Brunei.
KUALA LUMPUR, April 30 — Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is alleged to have allowed Malaysia to sign away up to RM320 billion in potential oil earnings, in return for Brunei dropping its claim over Limbang in Sarawak.
Both former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and the DAP’s Lim Kit Siang demanded an explanation today from the country’s previous PM, after news reports emerged last week suggesting Malaysia had signed away its oil rights.
Murphy Oil, which had entered a production-sharing contract with national oil company, Petronas, for Block L and Block M offshore of Limbang, announced last week that it was ceasing operations because “it was no longer part of Malaysia.”
“It would seem that the loss of a huge oil producing area that had apparently belonged to Malaysia is okay,” said Dr Mahathir today in a posting on his blog.
Separately, Lim said Abdullah should explain whether he had indeed signed off US$100 billion (RM320 billion) worth of oil rights to resolve Brunei’s claims to Limbang a month before he stepped down as prime minister in March last year and if so, why.
In the waning weeks of his term as PM, Abdullah had visited Brunei for talks with Bandar Seri Begawan officials.
Following the trip he announced that Brunei would no longer continue with its claim on Limbang, the stretch of land in Sarawak which partly splits Brunei in two.Abdullah, however, did not divulge details of the deal with Brunei.
Brunei also reportedly said later it had not dropped its claims on Limbang. “Block L and Block M had been claimed by Malaysia based on historical facts. Accordingly, PETRONAS entered into a production-sharing contract with Murphy Oil to start drilling to produce oil. It is estimated that the reserves amounted to almost one billion barrels.
“Abdullah Badawi negotiated with the Sultan (of Brunei) to get back Limbang in Sarawak. In return he agreed to surrender the two blocks to Brunei. No Petronas representatives were present, only foreign office staff and the foreign affairs adviser to the PM,” said Dr Mahathir, who had handpicked Abdullah to be his successor but eventually became his biggest nemesis.
Dr Mahathir questioned why Abdullah was allowed to proceed with the Brunei deal. The former prime minister (N0.4)
Dr Mahathir further claimed that it was now clear that the two exploration blocks were no longer a part of Malaysia. The former PM did not cite the sources for his information about the meeting.He also did not provide justification for his claim that potential earnings could amount to RM320 billion.
“Abdullah has caused Malaysia to lose at least US100 billion dollars (about RM320 billion) of Malaysia’s oil in this
agreement.
“Can Wisma Putra please explain why it did not stop Abdullah?” queried Dr Mahathir.
The DAP’s Lim also said it was now up to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to explain the true situation.
He said Najib must clarify whether Abdullah had signed off RM320 billion worth of oil rights to resolve Brunei’s claims to Limbang.
He said the PM should also explain the reports that Brunei’s claims to Limbang remains unaffected despite Malaysia losing these two blocks of offshore oil areas.
The Ipoh Timur MP then called on Najib to spell out “why the Abdullah Cabinet at the time of which he was Deputy Prime Minister had agreed to such unilateral and arbitrary sell-out of the country’s sovereign rights.”
Is the power of the Prime Minister so great as to be able to unilaterally and arbitrarily sell-out the country’s sovereign rights and after that, to hide it from the public?
And how do we know that he does not gain by doing so? I think the Constitution ought to be reviewed or if the Prime Minister has exceeded his authority, he must be held accountable and charged in court!
Tun Dr. M has to justify and provide evidence for the following: (i) that Malaysia had legal rights over Blocks L and M prior to the giveaway, (ii) that Blocks L and M are worth what he says they are, (iii) documents of giveaway.
If Tun Dr. M can sufficiently show all of the above, only then is Tun AAB liable to answer.
pokcik - April 30, 2010 at 9:43 pm
did mahathir not propose to cease limbang to brunei back in the 80′s?
tarn - April 30, 2010 at 9:59 pm
did mahathir not propose to cease limbang to brunei back in the 80′s for 2 billion?
tarn - April 30, 2010 at 10:01 pm
Shouldn’t something like this must get approval from parliament?
Common Sense - April 30, 2010 at 10:16 pm
This is what I commented on this blog some time ago
(http://dinmerican.wordpress.com/2009/07/03/petronas-money-strange-that-che-det-should-ask/)
Strange that Che Det should ask, that was my first reaction when I read his comments carried by The Malaysian Insider and Malaysiakini.
There is no transparency and for years, we as citizens have been denied full disclosure. And unlike Bank Negara Malaysia, there was no way one could get any information on the financial affairs of PETRONAS. It was next to impossible when Che Det was prime minister. This piggy bank is under the direct purview of the Prime Minister, not accountable to Parliament.
Apart from the payments made to the Federal Government totalling some half a trillion ringgit, we are in the dark as to how much was spent directly by PETRONAS on various mega projects and bailouts during the Mahathir era (the list provided by Malaysiakini does not tell the whole story of how PETRONAS money was spent) and Badawi’s too.
Perhaps, the time has come to create a Royal Commission to investigate hands-in-the-till activities of the UMNO-led Barisan Nasional government with respect to PETRONAS. One suspects that a substantial portion of the PETRONAS money has gone into the pockets of corrupt leaders and their families and cronies through over priced contracts, etc.—Din Merican
dinobeano - April 30, 2010 at 10:32 pm
Anyway, now Rip Van Winkle has given an explanation that a 40 year joint production deal between Brunei and PETRONAS was part of the deal in ceding Limbang.
We’ll see soon if he’s telling the truth or it’s the usual 4th floor/Ethos consulting/ Fox Comm/ Kali & Mullah spin BS!!
When MV Augusta was sold for Euro 1, a certain ADVISOR to Proton said he was in the dark. When Omar Ong was appointed director of PETRONAS and Hassan Merican prematurely kicked out, a certain ADVISOR to PETRONAS claimed he was in the dark.
Now, this same ADVISOR to PETRONAS and Proton again says he knew nothing about the March 2009 Limbang deal with Brunei.
This ADVISOR, none other than Maha Firaun a/l Kutty, is clearly Gaji Buta in PETRONAS and Proton and at the same time making a fool of parking himself in the Twin Towers. Time he resigned instead of bitching about things happening under his very nose!!
dpp
we are all of 1 race, the Human Race
donplaypuks - April 30, 2010 at 11:03 pm
On the MAS flight this evening from Penang to KLIA, I sat next to a bright young Malaysian who told me that he had read this Leslie Lau article in the Malaysian Insider. I then asked him what he felt about this Limbang deal with Brunei. Sucks, sucks, sucks.
He said there is a lot of corruption behind this deal. Those involved should be investigated and charged and if they found guilty they should be sentenced to death for a treason;in China that means death by firing squared. What these politicians would do or money. And for money, they would sell our sovereignty away. Even their mothers, wives, sisters and daughters are up for grabs. Money, money, money, all the time, the young man said to me.
We hope Najib will take action again those involved in negotiating and concluding this Limbang deal with the Brunei Sultan. Both Mahathir and Badawi must made to answer for this crooked deal.–Din Merican
dinobeano - April 30, 2010 at 11:06 pm
Adbullah, sue Mahathir RM1 billion for lying. I am sure Najib was in your cabinet and he will support you to the hilt. If you dare not, then what Mahathir said is true.
vsp - April 30, 2010 at 11:40 pm
So what’s next on the table? sell Johore to Singapore to prevent the bankruptcy of Bolehland; give Sabah back to Indonesia for free to prevent an attack from the millions of trojan horses now residing in the state; give back Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu back to the Thais to prevent an invasion of the Red shirts? Is there anything that is not impossible in Bolehland?
vsp - April 30, 2010 at 11:50 pm
Take it with a pinch of salt guys.
The last time i heasrd about this soon after Dopey vamoosed was $20bil. for the whole of Limbang. The problem is that the smaller gas & oil field on ‘our’ side was interconnected to the larger one inside Brunei.
The scenario was much like the Kuwaiti-Iraqi oilfield argument that Saddam had with the Kuwaitis before he sparked off Gulf War I. Now that we are 1 malaise, i presume this article was published to start Octo-Dopey War part II. Jibbolosmah will have to take sides.. Guess which way ‘they will turn? 360 deg.
Btw, something ‘odd’ is infesting MI and it’s editors and many more ‘truth’ purveyors. Discernment required.
Menyalak-er - May 1, 2010 at 12:18 am
There is no transparency and for years, we as citizens have been denied full disclosure.
Now here is a question? Why did then Malaysian voters, especially MALAY voters, vote overwhelmingly for UMNO to run this country continuously since 1957, huh? And giving them 2/3 majority.
Don’t Malaysian voters know over the last 4 decades, not just the last one decade, that this UMNO-led Govt has been ripping this country one way or the other.
Where is the Council of Rulers in ALL this?
What did i say?
Hey you, smart Malaysian voters, especially the Malay voters:
Losers!!! Cheated at every election and still think you are smart wanting to become First World country.
Frank - May 1, 2010 at 12:40 am
“….the Abdullah Cabinet at the time of which he(Najib) was Deputy Prime Minister had agreed to such unilateral and arbitrary sell-out of the country’s sovereign rights.”
Why didn’t MAHATHIR ask Najib to also explain since Najib was the Deputy Prime Minister at that time???????
Najib must explain whether he knew about it, WHEN DID HE KNOW AND WHAT DID HE KNOW??
Frank - May 1, 2010 at 12:45 am
Oh on second thoughts, Najib will say, I don’t know about it. I have never seen the Limbang agreement.
Take the cue of Najib’s denial when he had said he doesn’t know or have met Altantuya despite all the court evidences that he did.
Frank - May 1, 2010 at 12:48 am
Malaysians will better off if Malaysia is sold to Brunei or Singapore.
If governed by Brunei no Income Tax, free health and free education and free visit to theme parks. Best of all no more UMNO BN.
If governed by Singapore no more NEM no more UMNO/BN government and less corruption. Take your pick guys.
semper fi - May 1, 2010 at 1:23 am
Thanks TDM for alerting us .
We should set up a Royal Commission on this matter.
Isn’t Petronas Act and major matters is under Parliament’s approval
I wonder if Scomi will get some of the job in Brunei. Maybe KJ can give us some hints.
sniper - May 1, 2010 at 2:05 am
And this was my comments on Din’s 3rd of July 2009 posting
”I still say Petronas is a ‘daylight robbery’ commited against Sabah/Sarawak
The 5%-95% oil revenue allocation drafted by the federal govt was initially rejected by the 76′ triumphant Berjaya state govt in a meeting held in Labuan. Unfortunately the cessna – plane crashed tragedy under mysterious circumstances
Killing all 6 senior state ministers left Sabah with no formidable opposition to the lopsided
affair.
A deal was reached favouring the federal authorities soon after!
By Danildaud on July 4, 2009 at 1:00 am
Now , with this latest crooked Limbang deal exposed , in addition to the secretive haggle which ended with the intoduction of blank cheques written on them the names of certain political master butchers courtesy of the Brunei sultanate as a token of gratitude ,the plunder and mismanagement have come one full circle. Ironic indeed.. hmm! perhaps not , while most genuine Malays and indegenous sabah/sarawakians remain well below the poverty line , the exploits done by a combination of descendents of bugis lanuns , Arabian goat butchers and Indian Muslim carpet salesmen , are all in the name of malay/bumiputera interest.
Yes , Abg. Din , I agree with the young lad . These ‘penyamum(s)’ dressed in expensive suits ought to be charge for treason.
Danildaud - May 1, 2010 at 2:10 am
Aha, some Ah Bengs were jumping up and downs when Petronas interest were sold off by Dol, but at the same time they were boycotting Petronas products.
charlie chips - May 1, 2010 at 2:11 am
Thanks TDM for alerting us- sniper
Are you nuts??? The senile old man is protecting his own ass. He is cutting down Najib indirectly since Najib was DPM then, so that he can promote his son in UMNO.
The senile old man is sniping at Najib by association to scandals and hopefully those UMNO numbskulls who still support Najib will come to his son’s side
You should ask the senile old man to alert Malaysians about his other son’s alcohol /beer investment. The senile old man is a hypocrite.
Frank - May 1, 2010 at 2:12 am
danildaud
What did I say sometime back about Sarawakian and Sabahan voters who had been supporting UMNO-BN all these years???
And they will keep on voting those UMNO-freindly parties so that UMNO can keep on ripping off the resources of Sabah and Sarawak.
And you have the Kitingan brothers who are a class in themselves as model-frogs.
Frank - May 1, 2010 at 2:16 am
“Abdullah has caused Malaysia to lose at least US100 billion dollars (about RM320 billion) of Malaysia’s oil in this agreement.
Badawi. UMNO and BN are not at fault.
The fault lies with those who had been voting this UMNO-led BN to run this government for the last 40 years unbroken.
You, Malaysian voters are the stupid ones. Stop pretending to be angry!!!
Malayisian voters…..born losers!!!
Frank - May 1, 2010 at 2:20 am
Yes, it’s all due to their own stupidity, UMNOBN voters.
What to do, these people has been preoccupied with scheme “cepat kaya” and their only immediate concern is about, what’s there on the dinner table than to struggle for their own next coming generations. Finally they going to be left with nothing more than the “nasi sama garam” on the dinner table and ofcourse the empty promises of the scheme “cepat kaya” they love to keep and talk about all this while.
knk - May 1, 2010 at 6:23 am
This is disgusting. I have no words to describe it.
Mr Bean - May 1, 2010 at 7:16 am
I will support Pakatan if Anwar Ibrahim commits to all Malaysians that he would ensure a criminal probe into all such dealings. Somehow I have a feeling that he would choose to make back room deals with all these crooks.
Mr Bean - May 1, 2010 at 7:20 am
Frank, you forgot to take your medications.
Mr Bean - May 1, 2010 at 7:37 am
” …. if they found guilty they should be sentenced to death for a treason;in China that means death by firing squared.” Din Merican
I’m sorry. They squared matters you say??
No. Death is never by firing squad! But having the condemned squat before a single shooter and death comes instantaneously with one bullet to the back of the head and the bill for that one bullet mailed to his or her next-of-kin.
Mr Bean - May 1, 2010 at 7:44 am
“Yes, it’s all due to their own stupidity, UMNOBN voters.
What to do …. ” klik
This air of resignation is so uniquely Malaysian. What to do?? You vote them out of office, that’s what you do!
Mr Bean - May 1, 2010 at 7:48 am
This air of resignation is so uniquely Malaysian. What to do?? You vote them out of office, that’s what you do -Mr Bean
No, Malaysian voters, especially Malay voters, WON’T vote them out of office. The Indians will vote with UMNO because that is where they see their rice bowl being filled with rice. Chinese will vote with UMNO because the UMNO Malays will give the Chinese those subcontracts from the close tenders they get from Najib so they can send their children overseas to study. Wanna bet????
That is why Malaysian voters are all born losers.And UMNO knows it.
Frank - May 1, 2010 at 7:55 am
You think the Malay voters, the Chinese voters and Indian voters care two hoots about Limbang or the country lost RM100 billion to Brunei when GE 13 comes? Nah!!
Once UMNO throws those RM100 angpows to the chinese , and RM5,000 envelopes to the Malays and sewing machines to the Indians, the word “Limbang” disappears from their conversation. UMNO is best!!!
Lim Kit Siang and Anwar can shout as loud as they can about Limbang, these voters don’t give a shit about RM 100 billion..the number is too big for them to remember. All they can remember is RM 50 notes, RM100 notes in envelopes and sewing machines.
Losers!!!
Born losers!!!
Frank - May 1, 2010 at 8:01 am
UMNO cybertroopers like Ilham, Fatimah Zuhri, La-di-la and Fiona will come say,
” Limbang? Itu tak kena mengena dengan kita di Semenanjung Malaysia. Itu masaalah orang di Sabah and Sarawak. Bodoh sungguh orang PR/PKR)”
And you know what? The voters in the Malay heartland, the Indians in the estate and the chinamen in the koayteow stalls will alll agree. And they will vote UMNO-BN in again with 2/3 majority. Wanna bet???
Frank - May 1, 2010 at 8:06 am
This is more important to voters than the RM 100 billion:
Malaysiakini reports:
said the source.
Its the RM 100 notes in envelopes that are not given as promised that will decide who wins the next election, not the RM100 billion lost to Brunei.
Those Malaysians who think losing RM 100 billion to Brunei will bring down this UMNO-led BN are fools.
Losers!!!
Frank - May 1, 2010 at 8:18 am
We hope Najib will take action again those involved in negotiating and concluding this Limbang deal with the Brunei Sultan. Both Mahathir and Badawi must made to answer for this crooked deal.–Din Merican
Yeah ! Yeah ! Yeah! Fat hopes!!!
Najib is thinking: “Who are these guys trying to tell me what to do? I am the one who tell voters what to think and what to do? These PKR/PR supporters don’t learn anything from the Hulu Selangor election!! Macam budak tak erti. “
Frank - May 1, 2010 at 8:25 am
Frank, you forgot to take your medications.-Mr Bean
My family doctor told me my neurons firing perfectly, better than ever before. No medication needed . Only vitamins and plenty of Omega-3 Fish Oil.
Frank - May 1, 2010 at 8:27 am
You don’t need to invade Malaysia to wrest control of its territories. Just let the Umno bums sell the country piece by piece. By the time it’s through we’ll have nothing left to call our own. They simply have no love for the country other than their own pockets.
Tok Cik - May 1, 2010 at 9:21 am
You guys need to be on anti-depressants! Cheer up, Frank. It is not the end of the world. It is just the beginning of the end for Malaysia. Which is not too bad.
Look at it this way you can still play with your grandson. Or when you’re not playing, you can stomp all over the blogs (just imagine Malaysia without any internet connection) and tear your hair out by the roots (and if you are done with your hair, you could start pulling Din’s hair), and you’re done with all that you could join Tok Cik in the back seat of his new stretched limo with courtesy of UMNO, or better you could take a trip with Tean-Rean to Wat Pho in Bangkok to be with the largest reclining Buddha in the world after making a brief stop-over in Asia’s gay capital S’pore. If that is not enough you could continue your journey to Hong Kong and Macau and gamble away what’s left of your retirement monies. You don’t need exit permits to leave the country. That’s freedom for you. That’s more than any Malaysian could hope for.
Mr Bean - May 1, 2010 at 10:57 am
Mr. Bean,
Malaysians attacking UMNO-BN is barking at the WRONG TREE.
The ones who are damaging the country are the Malaysian voters, in particular the Malay voters. They blindly vote UMNO-BN at each election, for the $$ in the envelops or for feeling good about the UNTUK BANGSA DAN AGAMA crap dish out by the corrupt UMNO members and supporters and Perkasa members.
Stop blaming UMNO-Bn for the rot in the country. The blame lies with the Malaysian voters, ALL of them.
They are born losers wiithout knowing it. UMNO made them born losers and for cybertroopers like Ilham, Fatimah Zuhri, La-di-la and Fiona to pee in their faces after each general election results.
I sat under the Casuarina tree one evening and had this brilliant enlightenment, the same experience as that guy some 2,500 ago who sat under the Bo tree.
The road to rejuvenate Malaysia is to curse the Malaysian voters until they realise fully they are actually born losers when they elect UMNO-BN at every election and not to blame or curse UMNO for the country’s misery.
Tean will never find such enlightenment in Wat Pho in Bangkok. By the way, Wat Pho is famous for developing the famous Thai foot massage.
Frank - May 1, 2010 at 11:24 am
So long as Umno has Ilham, Fatimah Zuhri, La-di-la and Fiona on its side you don’t need a Quisling to inflict maximum damage.
Yeah, Frank, you’re right. Malaysians (the majority) are not only born losers but suckers too for having voted in the devil each general election since 1955.
Today it’s the Felda settlers, I wonder who’ll the idiots be in GE 13. We should round up these “collaborators” and lop off their heads Japanese Imperial Army style.
Culling seems the only solution possible. They are a curse to a free and democratic society that we all long for.
Tok Cik - May 1, 2010 at 11:55 am
Someone asked me if Malaysian voters are born losers, then who are the winners?
I told him he is an idiot for not knowing the winners are Singapore and Brunei.
Frank - May 1, 2010 at 12:10 pm
‘You don’t need to invade Malaysia to wrest control of its territories. Just let the Umno bums sell the country piece by piece. By the time it’s through we’ll have nothing left to call our own. They simply have no love for the country other than their own pockets”
tok cik,
please teach me how, I should have a buyer most willing to get a piece of johore and the 100b USD of dowry and the waters that goes with it.
ikxora - May 1, 2010 at 4:29 pm
lol..voting can be like trying to please everyone, jiust end up pleasing no one. Besides its called democracy innit?. That’s why i’ve never did n probably never will. I consider malaysian politics to be schizoid, prone to irrationality,subject to hallucinations, having delusions of grandeur, prey to anxiety attacks,indulging in self mutilation and just plain gaga. If all the shades of the political spectrum here could be contained in a single person, he’s to be found in a psycho ward, talking to his own reflection that he sees in his shiny bedpan
knut - May 3, 2010 at 6:48 am