KOTA KINABALU: The delegation of power to manage electricity supply from the Federal Government to the Sabah government has been warmly welcomed by the Chairman of Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB), Datuk Seri Panglima Wilfred Madius Tangau.
This comes after the passing of three bills (RUU) in the State Assembly Special (DUN) on Wednesday.
According to Tangau, the approval of these bills is a timely move in the reform of government administration, as it allows for the decentralisation of power and expands the autonomy of the Sabah government.
He expressed his deepest appreciation and gratitude to the Federal Government for entrusting this responsibility to Sabah, considering it a historic achievement.
Tangau, in a statement on Thursday, also hopes that this autonomous power can be extended to SESB, the utility company responsible for supplying electricity in Sabah and the Federal Territory of Labuan.
He emphasised that the Sabah government needs to acquire 80 percent ownership of SESB shares currently held by Tenaga Nasional Berhad in order to fully integrate the company under the state government.
Additionally, Tangau highlighted the challenge of SESB’s dependence on federal government subsidies to sustain its operations, as the electricity sales tariff to consumers is lower than the purchase or generation cost.
