IPPs suck up 71pc of SESB revenue: DAP
Published on: Friday, August 28, 2015
Kota Kinabalu: Lopsided contracts between Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) and Independent Power Plants (IPPs) saw 71 per cent of SESB revenue going to IPPs and Sabahans exploited by having to pay high electricity tariffs due to these unfair policies.Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sabah Organising Secretary Junz Wong said it is essential for Sabah to control its own power sector via SESB to ensure that Sabahans will not have to pay unreasonably high electricity tariff anymore.He said Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Maximus Ongkili should negotiate and regain the ownership of SESB from Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) after the latter said that Sabah could play a more vital role in decision-making and planning on matters that affect Sabah.
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He was quoted to have said that the State could negotiate with the Federal government to give them more roles in administrations."Will he as Sabah Federal Minister use his position to get TNB to agree returning SESB to Sabah? Will he also help to secure a federal grant for the State government to take over SESB?" he said.Junz claimed that most, if not all, of TNB investments into SESB were through Federal government grants and saw no reason why the Federal government could give grants to TNB but could not do so to the State government to run SESB.He also urged Ongkili to assure Sabahans that he would ensure SESB or the State government will own all the power plants which will be built in the State.
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He said Ongkili could prove his political will to help Sabah by ensuring that the proposed 150MW Ulu Padas Hydro Power Plant would be jointly-owned by SESB and the State government.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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"So the ball is in Ongkili's court as the minister now. Will he help Sabah to make the State government's wish a reality?" he said.
