However, Chief Minister Mohd Shafie Apdal said Petronas had informed the state government that cash payments from oil and gas revenues would depend on various factors.

“Among the factors which determine the amount of royalty include the mechanism and basis for the increments in cash payments which need to be discussed and decided by the relevant parties, estimates of oil and gas output, advanced plans for the development of oil and gas fields and global crude oil prices,” he said.

Shafie, who is also the state finance minister, said this in reply to a question from Dr Joachim Gunsalam (PBS-Kundasang) at the Sabah state assembly here today.

He said the state government’s proposal to increase the petroleum royalty to 20% was still at the discussion stage with the federal government, adding that based on the calculation of a 5% royalty, Sabah should receive RM1.31 billion this year.