Petronas can afford the RM30 billion special dividend the government is asking for next year, assured Tony Pua, the finance minister's political secretary.

"The reason why they are able to give us the RM30 billion in the first place is because there are more than sufficient cash reserves.

"They wouldn't give it to us if they didn't have enough," Pua told reporters after a business forum in Kuala Lumpur today.