National oil and gas corporation Petronas has invested RM83 billion in foreign countries, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Abdul Rahman Suliman said that, of the sum, RM12.4 billion has been invested in Sudan, followed by United Arab Emirates (RM10.7 billion) and South Africa (RM6.6 billion).

"We have also invested in Chad (RM5.7 billion), Britain (RM5.6 billion), Myanmar (RM4.4 billion) and Russia ( RM4 billion)," he said.

At present, Petronas has operations is 33 countries including Algeria, Australia, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Thailand and Vietnam.

Abdul Rahman was responding to Jacob Dungau Sagan (BN-Baram) who asked for a list of countries in which Petronas operates, the value of investment in each country, and the measures taken by the corporation to expand its business into other countries.

He added that the government conducts a detailed study on the opportunities, business prospects and potential risks before making any decision to invest abroad.

Compensation for cancelled bridge

In a separate development, Works Minister S Samy Vellu said that only 165m or 25 percent of the causeway bridge that connects Malaysia and Singapore will be demolished if a new bridge is built.

Answering a supplementary question from Tan Seng Giaw (DAP-Kepong), Samy said 75 percent of the existing bridge can be retained.

Samy Vellu had earlier explained that the initial contract to build road and rail bridges to Singapore and the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex project was estimated at RM1.113 billion.

"Following the government's decision to scrap the bridge project, we will have to pay the contractors RM222.4 million in compensation," he said.

"However, in order for the CIQ Complex to operate, we built a temporary bridge worth RM190.7 million."

The cancellation of the project had led to a heated argument between the current and past premiers.