Umno calls for Sabah–Sarawak task force to fix Southern Link delays

SABAH Umno has called for the formation of a joint Sabah–Sarawak task force to address delays in the long-awaited Southern Link power line.

Libaran MP Datuk Suhaimi Nasir said the task force must be given a clear mandate, including a firm deadline for when the line will finally be energised.

He cautioned that continued setbacks are undermining electricity security, especially in Sabah’s east coast districts.

“The first step of a responsible government is to establish a Sabah–Sarawak Task Force. A meeting date must be set and progress monitored consistently,” Suhaimi told reporters in Kota Kinabalu.

Suhaimi’s remarks follow a massive blackout on the east coast, triggered by the collapse of Tower 5 on the 275kV Kolopis–Segaliud line on September 13.

The 5.05pm outage cut supply from west coast plants to the Segaliud substation, leaving more than 200,000 users in Sandakan, Lahad Datu, Kinabatangan, Kunak, Semporna and Beluran without electricity.

It also highlighted the east coast’s heavy reliance on a single transmission route.

The Southern Link and the Sabah–Sarawak Grid are intended to integrate power generation between the two Borneo states, alleviating shortages in areas such as Lahad Datu, Kalabakan and Tawau in Sabah.

This comes after Sabah and Sarawak Energy signed a Power Exchange Agreement in January 2024, with an initial supply of 30MW, rising to 50MW within five years, and eventually 300MW

But it is already the third quarter of 2025 and there is still no firm date for delivery.

Work, particularly on the Lawas–Miri stretch in Sarawak, has fallen far behind schedule as Sabah Electricity has completed a 7km stretch of 275kV high-voltage transmission lines from the Mengalong Main Intake Substation (PMU) in Sipitang to the Sarawak border.

The Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (PETRA) has allocated about RM35 million for the interconnection project.

Suhaimi, who is also Umno Sabah information chief, said the delay was not merely technical but pointed to weak risk management by the state government under Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS).

“GRS must realise that governing a state is not just about making announcements. If there are delays, sit down and resolve them — not point fingers or perform theatrics in the media,” he said.

Suhaimi suggested the task force include public tracking mechanisms and open audits to ensure transparency and allow people to measure the government’s performance.

“The people of Sabah demand results, not political drama. Governing means acting, not just talking,” he added.

He also expressed confidence that Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg could play a decisive role in pushing the project forward, noting his past intervention in highlighting Universiti Malaysia Sabah’s water crisis. — September 20, 2025