KUCHING, Feb 12: Electricity coverage in Sarawak has reached 98.6 per cent as of December 2021, said Minister of Utility and Telecommunication Datuk Julaihi Narawi.
The urban areas have full coverage, while the coverage in the rural areas rose to 96.5 per cent.
“The remaining 3.5 per cent will be achieved by 2025. This is a good sign of our achievement.
“We are committed to attaining our vision which is 100 per cent utility coverage in Sarawak by 2025,” Julaihi said in his mandate address for the Ministry of Utility and Telecommunication held at Borneo Convention Center Kuching (BCCK) here, last night.
In line with the Sarawak’s vision to be a high-income State by 2030, he emphasised that the Ministry will be undertaking the Generation, Transmission and Distribution Network Development to provide sufficient energy capacity to support the State’s growth and development.
He explained the projects for this network development are stream-lined into Post-Covid-19 Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS2030) where various projects amounting to more than RM23 billion have been outlined.
Under the Rural Electrification Master Plan, he added that various initiatives to extend 24-hour electricity supply to rural areas were introduced.
“In this regard, our Ministry has secured funding from the State government under Project Rakyat initiative amounting to RM2.37 billion in 2018 to undertake 177 projects.
“As of now, we have managed to complete 54 per cent or 95 projects, with 44 per cent or 77 projects still in various implementation stages and about three per cent or five projects in the planning stage. There are a lot more to be done,” he informed.
Julaihi pointed out that the Sarawak government also has an approved budget of RM180 million under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP), for three main programmes.
“The programmes are namely grid connection of existing SARES (Sarawak Alternative Rural Electrification Scheme) to villages, replacement of batteries and key components for stand-alone solar systems and ALAF (Additional or Late Applicant Funds) projects to supply to approximately 17,000 households throughout the State,” he said.
Also present were Assistant Minister of Telecommunication Datuk Liwan Lagang and Assistant Minister of Utility Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi.– DayakDaily.
