By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, April 13: Sarawak will not impose any increase in electricity tariffs despite rising electricity production costs, assures Deputy Minister of Utility and Telecommunication (Sarawak Energy and Petros), Dato Ibrahim Baki.
Ibrahim, who is also the chairman of Sarawak Energy Berhad (Sarawak Energy), gave this assurance amid concerns that tariff hikes in Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah might be mirrored in Sarawak due to increased prices of raw materials, labour, and equipment.
“I am still the chairman of Sarawak Energy as well as the minister-in-charge of Sarawak Energy. This is my promise to you: As long as I am the chairman, the electricity tariffs in Sarawak will not increase, InshaAllah,” he said during the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Satok Zone 1 Aidilfitri gathering at Dewan Dato Hajjah Juma’ani, SK Rakyat Jalan Haji Bolhassan here yesterday (April 12).
Ibrahim, who also serves as Satok assemblyman, emphasised that Sarawak’s electricity tariffs—currently the lowest in Malaysia and the region—would remain unchanged, and efforts would be made to source alternative revenue streams to offset higher production costs.
“There is no need to worry, your electricity bills will cost the same as usual,” he added.
At the same time, Ibrahim highlighted Sarawak’s plans to boost its electricity generation capacity to 10,000 megawatts (MW), in line with Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg’s vision of positioning Sarawak as the “Battery of Asean.”
He pointed to hydropower sources such as Bakun, Murum, Batang Ai, and the soon-to-be-operational Baleh Dam as key contributors of clean energy.
On oil and gas resources, Ibrahim clarified that Sarawak is not seeking to take full control from Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas) but instead wants a fair share.
“The perception and interpretation by certain quarters that we want to take away everything is inaccurate.
“Tapi janganlah beri kita tulang, kita maok juak sikit isinya (but don’t just give us the bones, we also want the meat). This is what we want,” he said.
He further emphasised that Sarawak is not competing with Petronas but is seeking collaboration between the national oil company and Petroleum Sarawak Berhad (Petros).
Ibrahim went on to say that Sarawak also aspires to participate as a player in the local oil and gas sector instead of being a bystander.
“Let the (local) businesses participate in Petronas’ contracts; we also want to be involved in the exploration, production, and the supply chain,” he said.
Also present at the event were Ibrahim’s wife, Datin Noor Akmar Hamdan; political secretaries to the Premier, Abdul Samat Gany and Dr Dayang Nurfizawati Abang Abdul Karim; political secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister, Irwan Zulkarnain Muhammad Hasbi; and organising chairperson Naz Ismadee Khalit. — DayakDaily
