by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjong, Lim Kit Siang, in Petaling Jaya on Saturday, October 28, 1995:
DAP calls for Tenaga Nasional’s tariff restructuring proposal to be made public for feedbacj from consumers before any approval is given by the Cabinet.
Tenaga deputy general manager (Customer Service) Datuk Nik Mohamed Nik Abdullah said in Kedah that domestic consumers would soon pay less for electricity as Tenaga Nasional has agreed to charge 20 sen for every unit of power for the first 200 units.
It is reported that currently, the first 100 units used cost 20 sen a unit while the next 900 units cost 22 sen and the rest 26 sen and that this reduction was being made under Tenaga’s tariff restructuring exercise which is being studies by the Government.
Tenaga Nasional seems to be engaged in a public relations exercise to show that it is very sensitive to the needs of the lower income group in order to gain public support for a hike in electricity tariffs, which had been deferred after the April general election.
Tenaga Nasional can conduct a P.R. exercise to brush up its image, but it would be an act of great corporate irresponsibility if it should mislead the consumers.
It is no use for instance for tenaga to proclaim that consumers would only pay 20 sen for every unit of power for the first 200 units, when two weeks or one month later, the unit cost for the first 200 units is increased as a result of the Tenaga’s tariff restructuring exercise.
Into believing that regardless of its tariff restructuring exercise, consumers would continue to pay only 20 sen a unit for 200 units.
DAP calls for tenaga nasional’s tariff restructuring proposal to be made consumers would continue to pay only 20 sen a unit for 200 units.
DAP calls for tenaga Nasional’s tariff restructuring proposal to be made public so that there could be consumer feedback before any approval is given by the Cabinet.
Tenaga Nasional must be made to understand that it has no right to ask for any tariff increase unless it has fulfilled two basic conditions:
(i) provide satisfactory electricity supplies by ending the constant power disruptions in the country, amounting to 8,000 to 10,000 breakdowns a month;
(ii) admission of legal liability to compensate industry, business and consumer for damage suffered as a result of power disruptions.
It was reported yesterday that Langkawi would be the first area in the country to enjoy “zero power interruption” supply by next month under an RM18 million pilot project. With the move, all major hotels, government buildings and the Kuah commercial centre in Langkawi will get uninterrupted supply.
Under the project, complete ring-distribution systems involving 24 sub-stations in Langkawi would be set up in six areas, and if there is a cable fault consumers will not feel it because the system will isolate the fault automatically and supply will come from another feeder immediately.
The question is if Langkawi can have a “zero power interruption” supply facility, why other areas, like Penang, Petaling Jaya or Klang, could not have such a facility earlier? Why should Langkawi have priority in getting “zero power interruption” supply than other areas in the country?
On August 22 this year, I specifically asked on oral question in parliament as to whether tenaga nasional proposes o provide “zero-interruption power supply”, and the answer from the Minister for Energy, Telecommunications and Posts, Datuk Leo Moggie was a denial that Tenaga Nasional had ever proposed to provide such a supply.
Leo Moggie was either misled himself of was crying to mislead parliament, for several months ago, Tenaga Nasional officials had been talking about providing “zero-interruption power supply” in Malaysia. However, the 10-day power power blackout on the Penang Island in June and so shamed Tenaga Nasional that when I asked a question in Parliament on the subject in August, it dared not talk about it.
Consumers throughout the country are entitled to know when they would benefit from a “zero power interruption” supply where power disruptions of 8,000 to 10,000 a month would be a nightmare of the past!
Until Tenaga can provide “zero power interruption” supply to all consumer in Malaysia, it has no fight to ask for increase of electricity tariffs.