Kota Kinabalu: Liberal Democratic Party President Datuk Chin Su Phin questioned Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s plan to export Sarawak’s electricity through Sabah to the Southern Philippines while local power shortages persist.
LDP’s disapproval centres on Sabah’s severe electricity shortage where the State requires 2,000MW but only has a 1,300MW generation capacity, resulting in frequent blackouts and power rationing.
AdvertisementThis makes the plan to use Sabah as a transit route for electricity export particularly controversial.
“While our Prime Minister eagerly positions Malaysia as Asean’s benevolent energy provider, Sabahans continue to suffer through frequent blackouts and power rationing.
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He said the much-touted Miri 500MW combined cycle gas turbine power plant would not be operational for approximately three years. While, the 1,500MW power plant in Bintulu, a key component of Sarawak’s energy production, is only expected to be completed in 2028.
Advertisement“What is Sabah supposed to do until then? “If Sabah can be connected to Sarawak’s grid, why not send that power to us first? Our State urgently needs an upgraded grid and more power supply.
Any electricity from Sarawak should go towards fixing Sabah’s shortages first, not as a favour, but as a necessity. “But let us be clear, patchwork solutions would not solve the root issue. Sabah needs proper 2,000MW power plants to meet demand, lower costs and support our industries.
Advertisement (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});“How can Malaysia claim to be a regional energy leader when parts of our own country are left in the dark? Before trying to impress Asean, make sure all Malaysians especially Sabahans have reliable electricity first,” he said.
He said Sabahans are tired of being treated as an afterthought in national development priorities.
