KOTA KINABALU: The Energy Commission of Sabah (ECoS) recorded its first prosecution involving electricity theft in a squatter settlement after a man was charged at the Sessions Court here on Wednesday (Dec 3).
The suspect, a resident of a squatter settlement in Sepanggar, faces three charges under the Electricity Supply Enactment 2024 (EBE 2024).
On the first charge, he is accused of supplying electricity to several premises within the settlement without a valid licence. The second charge involves dishonest tapping of electricity, while the third relates to installing electrical wiring without the permission of the licensed holder, Sabah Electricity (SE).
For the first offence, he could face a fine of up to RM1mil, imprisonment of up to 10 years, or both upon conviction. For the second charge, he may be fined between RM1,000 and RM100,000 or jailed for up to one year, or both. The third charge carries a penalty of up to RM50,000 in fines, or imprisonment of up to one year, or both.
The suspect pleaded not guilty to all three charges before Sessions Court judge Marlina Ibrahim.
According to ECoS, he was granted bail of RM15,000 with two local sureties but was unable to post bail. As a result, he will remain in detention until the next case mention, which has been fixed for Jan 22, 2026.
“This is the first case involving electricity theft in a squatter settlement that has been brought to court. ECoS, together with Sabah Electricity, will intensify efforts to curb electricity theft activities,” said ECoS chief executive officer Abdul Nasser Abdul Wahid.
He added that electricity theft in squatter areas not only results in significant losses to Sabah Electricity, but also poses serious safety risks due to non-standard installations and frequently leads to disruptions in electricity supply for registered consumers in surrounding areas because of excessive load.
