Subsidised electricity rates will be displayed in bills so people can be 'thankful'

BUKIT GANTANG - Subsidy rates paid by the government for electricity tariffs will be displayed in bills starting next month.

Energy and Natural Resources Minister Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan said the move was implemented as an explanation for the questions people had regarding the electricity tariff.

"Many have asked regarding the electricity tariff subsidy because they could not see it.

"Starting next month we decided to have the bill state how much subsidy was given by the government to each user.

"For example if the ussage is 300 killowatt hours (kWH) the total subsidy paid for will be written," he said to the reporter when found at the Malaysian Family Friendly Program (central zone) of the Energy and Natural Resources Ministry at the Sungai Kerang Multipurpose Hall Field near Trong here on Tuesday.

Takiyuddin said the people should know that the government at the time was not only forced to bear costs for electricty, but was still giving rebates to lessen the burden of users.

He said electricty generation for January till June have reaced RM7 billion and from the amount, the government had beared RM5.8 billion while RM1.2 billion was distributed to major industries.

"The rise of electricity generation was managed orderly through Imbalance Cost Pass-Through (ICPT) that enabled the costs to be studied every six months.

"Through ICPT the additional costs that should be beared by 9 million users had the payment excluded for by the government.

"The people need to be thankful that the electricity was only paid according to their needs and is subsidised, electricity costs have been subsidised by the government," he said.

The government previously decided to not increase the tariff rates of electricty and water in the Peninsular while ICPT was enacted from July 1 to Dec 31 2022.

The Surcharge for electricity tariffs for domestic users at the time remain on 3.7 cents per kWH with a rebate of two cents without surcharge, while non domestic users from commercial and industry sectors will have surcharges of 3.7 cents per kWH.