Any increase that will inconvenience the rakyat will not be permitted, says PM
LANGKAWI: The Prime Minister has instructed Tenaga Nasional Bhd to provide clarification on its plans to increase the electricity tariff by 14% from July next year, saying the government does not allow any increase that can adversely affect the majority of Malaysians.
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said he had contacted his deputy Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, who is also the Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister, regarding the matter.
“We do not allow electricity tariff hikes that impact the public.
“Any increase, as in the past, will only affect the upper class that I describe as the super-rich, or industries that have been recording significant profits.
“The majority of the public will not be impacted by electricity tariff increases, even though I understand costs are rising,” Anwar told reporters when met at Masjid Al-Hana in Kuah yesterday.
“This is a matter of policy. I understand the need for an increase but it cannot involve additional costs for the majority of the people,” he added, Bernama reported.
Anwar said Fadillah and TNB will provide a detailed explanation on the matter.
The Prime Minister was asked about TNB’s announcement on Thursday that starting next July, the base electricity tariff in Peninsular Malaysia will be raised by 14.2% to 45.62sen per kilowatt-hour (kWh), along with a new tariff schedule.
The change will take place under the three-year Regulatory Period 4 (RP4) that will be effective from January 2025 to December 2027.
Under RP3 2022-2024, the base tariff was set at 39.95sen/kWh.
However, for the first six months of RP4 until June 30, 2025, there will be no change in the electricity tariff rate and tariff structure, giving six months for consumers to adjust to the new base tariff.
Meanwhile, Fadillah said his ministry was neither consulted nor informed by TNB on the proposed electricity tariff hike for Peninsular Malaysia.
“As stressed by the Prime Minister, any increases that could burden the public will not be allowed,” he said.The Deputy Prime Minister said his ministry and the Energy Commission are still finalising the new electricity tariff schedule.
