By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Oct 2: Sarawak Energy Berhad (Sarawak Energy) should initiate an open dialogue with Kuching residents to address mounting concerns over the sudden spike in electricity bills, particularly following the replacement of traditional meters with smart meters.
In making this statement, Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii also called on Sarawak Energy to show compassion and address any potential miscalculations to avoid placing unnecessary burdens on small business owners and residents within the constituency.
“In a recent case that was referred to me, a user reported that after switching to a smart meter, the electricity consumption for a small business shop surged to 12,788 KWH over a 44-day period, amounting to a shocking bill of RM4,136.33.
“This is beyond reasonable logic and not proportionate to the previous charges based on the constant usage,” he claimed in a press statement.
He went on to say that the aforementioned is just one of many examples, and that many users have expressed concern about the increase in their electricity bills since switching to smart meters.
“Is this surge in electricity charges due to a fault in the smart meters, or is it caused by human error, such as incorrect meter reading being entered into the billing system?” he questioned.
Dr Yii emphasised the need for Sarawak Energy to hold open dialogue sessions with users to establish a two-way communication channel, allowing them to explain the current smart meter policy and address the various concerns raised by the public.
Additionally, the Bandar Kuching MP urged Sarawak Energy to reconsider its practice of demanding a lump sum payment for backdated charges resulting from alleged faulty ‘old meters’, as this imposes a sudden and significant financial burden on consumers, particularly those from the middle and lower income groups who may struggle to afford such unexpected expenses.
“While it is true that if a consumer overpays, Sarawak Energy can refund and credit the amount in future bills, it is not easy for everyone to come up with that lump sum all at once within the time frame specified.
“In fact, Sarawak Energy should not even be back-dating charges and punishing consumers for alleged incorrect readings from ‘old-meters’ because those faulty readings are not the consumers’ fault.
“Unless there is clear evidence of tampering with the meter, it is not the consumer’s fault for inaccurate readings from old meters, and they should not be held accountable or even punished for it,” he asserted.
Dr Yii further remarked that while the new smart meters may provide more accurate readings compared to the older meters, any new charges should be applied moving forward rather than imposing retrospective penalties based on previous readings, as it is ultimately Sarawak Energy’s responsibility to monitor and maintain the accuracy of the old meters in the first place.
“With Sarawak Energy showing healthy profits year after year, including a reported net profit of RM800 million alone in the first quarter of 2023, I believe there is clearly room for a compassionate way forward for the good of the people in Sarawak,” he added.
Dr Yii urged Sarawak Energy to consider waiving any backdated charges and recalculations prior to the installation of the smart meters, unless there is clear evidence of illegal meter tampering.
“Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak is also ready to assist users facing similar concerns in appealing to Sarawak Energy. Feel free to contact my special assistant, George Lam, at 011 – 2518 1872 for any assistance,” he said. — DayakDaily
