Bon Fire Team on electricity tariff

suppadmin | April 30, 2014

Bon Fire Team is questioning Sarawak DAP’s real intention in the party’s sudden campaign to collect signatures from the public, in an attempt to pressure Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) to lower the electricity tariff by 30% which is already the lowest in Malaysia. The 30% reduction requested by DAP will logically cause the industrial tariff, which is also currently the lowest in Malaysia, to be increased.

Sarawak DAP’s attempt is obviously politically motivated. But sadly, in this case, they are killing Sarawak’s economic growth. Is this to facilitate the economy of their “Tai Kohs” (big brothers) in West Malaysia? Electricity tariff in Sarawak has not been increased for over 22 years and is the cheapest in the whole of Malaysia, despite the hiking costs and global economic slowdown. Sarawak DAP’s attempt to weaken SEB’s financial performance can only lead to many potential problems and knock-on negative effect that will eventually hurt the state’s economic growth.

Sarawak has just emerged as one of the top picks for foreign investors, particularly the resource intensive industries, simply because Sarawak is able to produce the cheapest priced industrial tariff energy in Malaysia. This might not be the case in Penang and Selangor even though they have better logistic than Sarawak.

With the highly competitive Sarawak out of the picture and out of the game, Penang and Selangor will surely regain some of its lost grounds. Foreign investors will pull out of Sarawak when competitive priced renewable energy is no longer readily available, other smaller industries that rely on it will eventually die or relocate while thousands of jobs and businesses will be lost, the catalyst that power the growth will eventually come to a complete halt. It does not affect only the employees of SEB and industrial workers but also the livelihood of all Sarawakians who are benefiting from this spin-off.

Dap Sarawak should not sabotage our present advantage that is attracting foreign investment and businesse into our state that has created jobs, wealth and better future for our people. DAP said BR1M cannot bring true benefits to the people, then how much can it benefit the lower income group by taking 30% off their monthly electrical bill?

Penang state government is increasing its water tariff. Their reasoning is to avoid water rationing and that the Penang users are wasteful in their water usage, but why Sarawak DAP leaders seem to have adopted a completely opposite approach in dealing with this issue in Sarawak? Are they encouraging Sarawakians to be wasteful and to face future electricity shortage? While Sarawak DAP are out, rain or shine, trying to gather signatures from the public to demand a 30% tariff reduction, why no effort was ever put into stopping the tabling of Hudud law in the Parliment, which can affect the rights of non-Muslim population and completely change the social landscape of our country? Are they too afraid of their West Malaysian “Tai Kohs”, particularly PKR and PAS?