SANDAKAN, July 2 — Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) is working hard with all stakeholders to resolve the electricity supply issue that affects residents in the state, its chairman Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau said.
Everyone, including the federal government, through Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB), the Sabah government, non-governmental organisations (NGO), and communities were working together to find a solution to this major and challenging problem.
“Past experiences have taught us that all stakeholders must work together and be part of the solution and not the problem.
“My family and I are also electricity consumers. What consumers go through, we feel it too, That’s why we are part of the people, of course we hope that the electricity supply in Sabah can be resolved immediately,” he said in a statement here today.
Madius said the state government has introduced initiatives to overcome electricity woes in the state, especially in the east coast, including a 300-megawatt coal power plant in Lahad Datu, but the state government had cancelled it due to NGO resistance, which resulted the margin reserve in the east coast to drop to negative levels.
“Thank God we now have the east-west grid, from Penampang to Sandakan and with that we can send electricity there. Otherwise, things would get worse,” he said.
Madius hoped that Sabah residents remained calm and not be emotional about the electricity problems in the state, but would cooperate with the government and SESB to find solutions.
In a related development, he said that he visited the Sandakan Zone SESB office and visited two power plants in the district. — Bernama
