Dr Mahathir questions Putrajaya’s decision to export non-renewable energy to Singapore

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 27 — Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today questioned the current government’s move to export only non-renewable energy to Singapore, saying doing so may jeopardise local supply and carbon budgets.

Now an Opposition lawmaker, he said this was based on news reports that only non-renewable energy is allowed to be exported to Singapore and power sales through private self-developed transmission and interconnection facilities to the island republic will not be allowed.

“On the other hand if we export energy from natural resources such as sunlight and wind, Malaysia does not lose anything.

“I do not understand the government’s policy today. This decision is no small investment and will hinder job opportunities,” the Langkawi MP posted on his chedet blog.

Last Friday, several news outlets reported the government saying it will only allow non-renewable energy to be exported to Singapore, and private power sales will not be allowed.

Dr Mahathir also pointed out that Malaysia was selling its other resources to its southern neighbour seemingly to its detriment, and listed water exports at 3 sen a thousand gallons as an example.

“We also know the smuggling of sea and land sand is being done,” the Pejuang chief wrote, without elaborating.

Dr Mahathir who has been prime minister twice is known to be critical of the price of raw water sold to Singapore and had planned to renegotiate the terms, but was hampered in the past because Singapore has refused to budge from the 1962 water agreement.

At present, the water agreement, which expires in 2061, entitles Singapore to draw up to 250 million gallons a day (mgd) of raw water from the Sungai Johor river daily.

In return, Johor is entitled to a daily supply of treated water of up to 2 per cent or 5 mgd of the water supplied to Singapore.

Singapore pays 3 sen per thousand gallons of raw water, and sells treated water back to Johor at 50 sen per thousand gallons.

Last Friday, the Energy and Natural Resources Ministry in a statement, said the government has decided to review the Guide for Cross-Border Electricity Sales issued by the Energy Commission to include the two matters.

The statement said the government has also agreed that the wheeling charges for the sale of electricity to Singapore for the two-year trial period will be US$2.28 cents/kWh.