Unlocking nation’s oil resources a ‘team effort’, says Mahathir
Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has reminded Malaysians that the country’s prosperity has been built on a partnership between the resource-rich regions of Sabah and Sarawak, and the federal government that provided expertise, capital and infrastructure to unlock their potential.
Mahathir said Malaysia’s petroleum wealth was not discovered or monetised by either side on its own, but through a combination of natural endowment and national expertise.
“Oil was not being produced at that time,” he told FMT in an interview.
“It was after they joined Malaysia that we were able to exploit the gas and oil potential of Sabah and Sarawak. So, they became rich because they joined the federation.”
According to Mahathir, Sabah and Sarawak were “very poor states” when the…
