LANGKAWI: The government will not allow an increase in electricity tariffs that could adversely affect the majority of Malaysians, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Anwar stated that although there is a need for tariffs to rise, this should not involve a significant portion of the population.
"We do not allow electricity tariff increases that affect the general public.
"Any increase, as before, will only involve the upper-income group... what I refer to as the ultra-rich or profit-making industries."
Anwar was responding to reports from Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) that the power utility's base tariff rate for the regulatory period 2025-2027 would rise by 14% to 45.62 sen per kilowatt hour.
This is underpinned by a forecast of a 24% rise in coal prices and a 34% rise in liquified natural gas (LNG) prices over the three-year period.
TNB said that electricity tariff rates and the tariff structure for the regulatory period will be decided by the government by mid-2025, with current rates and the tariff structure set to hold until then in Peninsular Malaysia.
More to come
