OTTAWA — The NDP won't say whether it supports the federal government's decision to nix a $5.2 billion bid by Malaysian company Petronas to buy Canadian natural gas firm Progress Energy.

But Peter Julian, the official Opposition's natural resources critic, says he doesn't like the way the decision was announced.

"It's quite bizarre how they seem to be making decisions right now," Julian said Saturday.

Shortly before midnight Friday in Ottawa, Industry Minister Christian Paradis made a surprise announcement that he was rejecting the merger.

"The government hasn't set out what their criteria are around the decision, so Canadians are left in the dark," said Julian.

He wonders if the Conservatives want to show toughness on foreign takeovers before approving a $15 billion bid by CNOOC, a Chinese state-owned company, to buy Nexen. That decision is expected in November.

While the NDP is mute on the Petronas deal, New Democrat-turned-independent MP Bruce Hyer has been outspoken against the takeover.

On Friday, he urged the feds to "stand up for Canadian energy security" by rejecting the deal.