
Abdul Nasser (third from left) presenting an EVCS licence at the BMW Motorrad and BYD premises in Kota Kinabalu.
ELECTRIC vehicle charging station (EVCS) operators in Sabah are advised to obtain a licence first before beginning operations.
The Energy Commission of Sabah (Ecos) reminded all parties involved to comply with the ruling as stipulated in the Electricity Supply Enactment 2024.
“As a step to ensure safe installations that comply with standards to protect public usage, all EVCS operators must obtain a licence before commencing operations, in line with the requirements in Section 8 of the Enactment,” said Ecos chief executive officer Datuk Abdul Nasser Abdul Wahid.
“Failure to comply will result in legal action and severe penalties against the offender, including fines of up to RM1mil or imprisonment for up to 10 years.
“Daily fines could also be imposed for continuous offences after conviction,” he added.
Abdul Nasser’s speech was read out by Ecos chief operating officer Ridwan Saham during a briefing organised by Ecos in Kota Kinabalu.
The briefing was also attended by representatives from the Fire and Rescue Department, local authorities, installation contractors, and operators of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure.
As of July 31 this year, Abdul Nasser said six applications for EVCS licence were approved to companies that owned EVCS on their premises.
“Only electrical contractors licensed and registered with Ecos are allowed to carry out the installation of EVCS, including mandatory regular maintenance to ensure the installations are safe to use.”
He said according to data obtained from the Road Transport Department (JPJ), there were currently 611 registered EV users in Sabah and Labuan (Federal Territory).
“Projections from the National Energy Policy (DTN) 2022-2040 indicate there will be around 1,000 EV users in Sabah by 2025.
“To support this effort and considering the future growth of EV charging stations, Ecos has provided a EVCS guideline to ensure the safety of EV users and to support the state government’s efforts towards a sustainable and low-carbon economy transition,” Abdul Nasser added.
A licence presentation by Abdul Nasser was held at the premises of BMW Motorrad Regas Premium Sabah and Build Your Dreams (BYD) Regas Sabah in Kolombong, which were among the first groups to receive the EVCS licence in Sabah.
Ecos will continue to work with stakeholders and industry partners to encourage a widespread use of EVs in Sabah in line with the sustainable energy agenda as a strategic initiative stated in the Sabah Energy Roadmap and Masterplan 2040, he added.