KUCHING: Sarawak can maintain its existing electricity tariff without the need for any hikes thanks to the state’s excellent electricity-generating capability.
Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said Sarawak’s abundance of water resources enables the production of hydropower.
“In view of this, our electricity tariff is not that high. While others might need to increase the tariff, we don’t, and instead we are able to maintain ours.
“If the electric tariff is expensive, investors would not want to come into the state. Besides that, it would also affect the contractors ability to pay their bills,” he said.
He said this when officiating at the Malaysian Malay Contractors Association (PKMM) Sarawak’s 24th Annual General Meeting opening ceremony and dinner at the Pullman Hotel here last night (June 23).
Abang Johari, who is also the Finance and New Economy Minister, said Sarawak is blessed with an abundance of water resources from which it could develop the hydropower project in Baleh and is undertaking a similar project in Trusan, Limbang.
“Apart from that, Sarawak has enough sunlight to produce solar power through the floating solar projects,” he said.
Additionally, he mentioned the state also has sufficient wind to produce solar and wind hybrid energy.
“Sarawak is really blessed to have all of these resources (water, oil and gas, sunlight, and wind).
“All these are gifts from God, and we must utilise them effectively by integrating new ideas and technology,” he said.
Also present were Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof; Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas; Sarawak State Secretary Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki; PKMM president Datuk Seri Mohamed Fadzill Hassan; PKMM Sarawak advisor Datuk Zaiedi Suhaili; and PKMM Sarawak president Datuk Ismail Suut.
