MP bemoans 'terrible' power outages in Sabah

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 17  -- A Member of Parliament today voiced the grievances of the public who experienced power outages in Sabah, especially in the Kimanis area, which he deemed to be ‘terrible’.

Datuk Mohamad Alamin (BN-Kimanis) said the people in the state, including his parliamentary constituency, faced electricity outages almost every day, which not only affected their daily lives but also caused property damage.

“In Sabah we have the Kimanis Independent Power Plant (IPP) built and in fact, we have enough power in Sabah.

“But why are disruptions (of electricity supply) so common in Sabah, in Kimanis almost every day there are black-outs and so on. Not only does it affect work, worse still it causes damage to electrical equipment in our people's homes," he said.

He said this while debating the Supply (Reallocation of Appropriated Expenditure) Bill 2020 at the committee-level in the Dewan Rakyat here today.

He said when complaints about such damages were submitted to Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB), the public was asked to lodge a police report before any payment was made, and the matter could take months.

Mohamad also requested for the upgrading of the electrical system in Sabah, as the cables and 'transformers' used in the state were said to be outdated.

“The transformers can no longer accommodate (current needs), a transformer built decades or a dozen years ago, perhaps (formerly) for a village, it can accommodate and provide power for up to 20, 50 houses.

"Times have changed, hundreds of new houses are being built but the transformers are still the same (old ones). I ask SESB to please upgrade the transformers that were built a long time ago, as well as the wiring of the cables from pole to pole,” he said.

In reply to Mohamad, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Datuk Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah the upgrading of cables and transformers in Sabah would be coordinated by SESB either through internal allocations or under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP).

The Bill was passed after being debated and wound up at the policy and committee levels today.

It seeks to provide for the reallocation from the Consolidated Fund a sum of not exceeding RM7,184,083,200.

This follows the restructuring of several ministries, the establishment of new ministries and the dissolution of one ministry due to the formation of the new Cabinet on March 10, 2020.

The Dewan Rakyat session continues tomorrow.

-- BERNAMA