Pass on energy savings to the people via rebates, says ex-minister

A TNB power plant in Manjung. The cost of producing electricity has dropped and the savings should be passed on, says a former minister. (TNB pic)

PETALING JAYA: A former federal minister has suggested that savings in energy costs can be passed on to consumers, both commercial and domestic, via rebates from July to December.

Yeo Bee Yin, the former minister for energy, science, technology, environment and climate change, said there had been a drop in global energy costs in the past three months.

The cost of supplying electricity had similarly dropped, she said. “Consumers should enjoy a rebate on their bills because of this,” she said in a Facebook posting.

Former prime minister Najib Razak had also urged the government earlier today to bring down the rates of electricity tariffs because of the dip in coal and fuel prices.

He said the review of tariffs was scheduled for July 1 and he hoped they will be reduced.

The federal government had announced today that electricity consumers with monthly bills of RM77 and below would not be charged for three months’ of electricity supplies. The initiative is to be funded from the Electrical Industry Fund and will benefit about four million or 52.2% of domestic users.

Yeo said in her posting that Umno should not try to claim credit for handing out savings to electricity users. She said RM1.3 billion had been raised for the fund through measures taken by the previous Pakatan Harapan government, in which she was a minister. - FMT