A HOMEOWNER in Miri, Sarawak has been sued by Sarawak Energy for RM300,000 after her former tenant was allegedly stealing power for cryptocurrency mining.
The woman identified as Wong, then sought help from Sarawak Pakatan Harapan and DAP secretary Alan Ling Sie Kiong, who is also a lawyer by profession.
Wong told Ling that her house was rented to a tenant from West Malaysia for RM1,200 a month and the utility bills were never in arrears.
"Since she thought she had found a good tenant, she only drafted a tenancy agreement for the first year and subsequent renewals were made only verbally.
"The landlord and tenant enjoyed a good relationship and she never suspected anything," said Ling.
He said it was not until she received a notice from Sarawak Energy that she realised her tenant was carrying out large-scale electricity theft and mining in the house.
"This resulted in her being burdened with an RM300,000 electricity bill," he said.
He said he has formally written to Sarawak Energy to assist Wong in filing her complaint.
Ling also urged homeowners or shop owners to exercise caution and ensure tenants sign legally binding lease agreements to better protect their rights and interests. - August 27, 2025