SANDAKAN: Some 30 residents here took to the streets urging the Government to suspend what they described as a potentially burdensome policy for households already struggling with frequent blackouts and the rising cost of living.
The protest was led by Elopura Assemblyman Calvin Chong, who said residents had approached him after receiving informal instructions or verbal notices suggesting they would need to appoint certified engineers to inspect their gensets monthly — at a cost of up to RM500 per visit — or risk non-compliance under the Electricity Supply Enactment 2024.
“These are not luxury items. People install gensets because of frequent blackouts. Now they’re being penalised just for trying to get by,” he said.
window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []};googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.defineSlot('/22826383987/dailyexpress_inline', [1, 1], 'gpt-passback').addService(googletag.pubads());googletag.enableServices();googletag.display('gpt-passback');});A quotation sighted by Daily Express showed that contractors were offering monthly inspection packages priced between RM400 and RM450 per premises — aligning with complaints raised by residents.
The requirement applies to installations operating under 600 volts but drawing more than 100 amps, a threshold that may apply to certain residential homes.
An ECoS letter dated Dec 17, 2024, confirmed that installations meeting this criterion must be inspected monthly by registered “competent persons,” such as certified electrical engineers or supervisors, under the State’s Electricity Supply Regulations 2024.
In a clarification issued earlier, ECoS said residential users with low-voltage gensets below 300 amps would not be subject to monthly inspections. Only higher-risk commercial and industrial sites would be affected, with inspection frequency reduced from monthly to once every three months.
However, Chong said residents remain unconvinced.
“People are still panicking, especially when they received the letter. What proof do they have that they don’t need to pay for the inspection monthly?
“They want a formal written exemption — not just verbal explanations. Without official confirmation, contractors continue quoting and the fear continues spreading,” he said.
Gum Gum Assemblyman Arunarnsin Taib, who also attended the protest, said the timing of the enforcement was off, given the already high cost of living and lack of consultation with the public.
“At RM400 a month, you’re talking about nearly RM5,000 a year. That’s not something regular families can absorb — it’s too much,” he said.
He also questioned whether the policy disproportionately benefits private contractors rather than the public.
Resident Azahari Rangon said gensets have become a basic necessity in Sandakan due to frequent power outages and any additional costs would worsen the economic pressure on families.
“We’re not using gensets to make money — we’re using them because we have no choice. And now we’re expected to pay hundreds just to keep using them?” he said.
He warned that business owners, especially in the food sector, may pass the cost on to consumers, leading to a rise in prices for everyday items.
Chong said many of those affected were elderly residents in decades-old housing areas with limited infrastructure and fixed incomes.
ECOS, in its previous statement, said it only charges RM30 annually for genset licences. The monthly inspection fees, it clarified, are imposed by third-party contractors certified under ECoS regulations.
While defending the inspections as necessary for safety, the commission said it is reviewing enforcement details — particularly for residential users — in light of public concerns.