KUALA LUMPUR: Almost 500,000 consumers in Kelantan have unpaid electricity bills amounting to over RM200mil as of June, says the Energy Transition and Water Transformation Ministry.
It said 492,174 electricity account users from Kelantan collectively owed RM229mil in unpaid bills to Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), with the highest arrears from domestic users (411,780 accounts, RM114mil).
This was followed by non-domestic users (commercial and industrial), with 80,196 accounts in arrears totalling RM53mil.
The remaining unpaid bills belong to Air Kelantan Sdn Bhd (AKSB), with 198 accounts totalling RM61mil in unpaid electricity bills.
The ministry noted in a parliamentary written reply dated Aug 7 that overall, electricity bill arrears in the state saw a minor decrease of RM4.33mil since December.
It noted that the hefty arrears were partially because of tenants moving out of residences, leaving their bills to be borne by the owners.
“Petra and TNB remain committed to assisting users in settling their arrears through customer-friendly approaches, which include offering flexible instalment plans.
“Enforcement action such as disconnecting supply is only taken as a last resort after all negotiations have failed,” it added.
The ministry advised affected users to contact TNB as soon as possible to discuss payment solutions and avoid supply disconnection or legal action.
The ministry also said it would continue to intensify awareness campaigns to encourage consistent bill payment and strengthen understanding of user responsibilities regarding their bills.
“Cooperation and a sense of responsibility from all parties are crucial to ensuring that the issue of electricity bill arrears can be controlled.
“An integrated effort between users, local authorities, property owners and TNB will help ensure that our energy system remains stable, sustainable and fair for all,” it added.
Zahari Kechik (IND-Jeli) wanted to know the number of Kelantan consumers who have outstanding electricity bills.
