KUALA LUMPUR: The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Bill 2023 and the Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2023 have been put on hold pending amendments sought by Sarawak.
The Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change (NRECC) put off the second reading of both Bills during the Dewan Negara session.
In a statement Wednesday, Senator Datuk Ahmad Ibrahim said he along with seven other members from Sarawak, were informed of the postponement following their request to the Dewan Negara Speaker to amend the bill.
He said the request was made because the Bill does not ensure the same rights are given to Sarawak as stipulated in the Energy Commission Act 2001 and the Electricity Supply Act 1990.
The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Bill 2023 was initially passed in the Dewan Rakyat on October 10.
However, after a copy of the bill was distributed to the members of the Senate, their research found that the Bills allowed NRECC Ministers to extend their use to the state of Sarawak.
“This is not in line with previous practice by the federal government such as the Energy Commission Act 2001 and the Electricity Supply Act 1990 where their use is deferred to the state of Sarawak.
“Since there is this inconsistency, we, the members of the Dewan Negara representing Sarawak, made an application to the Speaker of the Dewan Negara to propose amendments to the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Bill 2023 and the Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2023 to ensure that the same rights are given to Sarawak as stipulated in the Energy Commission Act 2001 and the Electricity Supply Act 1990,” he said.
“Following our proposed amendment, today I received information from the Speaker of the Dewan Negara that these two bills will be reconciled through the involvement of the NRECC together with the State Governments of Sarawak and Sabah,” he said.
He welcomed the postponement by the NRECC, who took note of their concerns regarding the autonomy of Sarawak in the electricity sector and the diverse energy resources available in the state.
“In upholding the principles of the Federal Constitution as well as the Sarawak Constitution, we, as members of the Dewan Negara representing Sarawak, are responsible in our capacity to ensure that the rights of Sarawak must be defended so that there is no more erosion of power and rights whether intentionally or unintentionally,” he said.
