KOTA KINABALU – Sabah has passed its first hurdle in gaining regulatory control over electricity supply after the Dewan Rakyat passed both the Renewable Energy (Amendment) Bill 2022 and Sustainable Energy Development Authority (Amendment) Bill 2022 in Parliament yesterday.
Welcoming the amendments, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Mohd Noor said plans are now in motion for Sabah to regulate its own electricity and gas supply and gain control of Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB).
“Plans are now being rolled out, including the setting up of the Sabah Energy Commission so that electricity supply regulation can be devolved to the state from the federal government,” he said in a statement here today.
The amendments to the two federal laws were initiated by Hajiji and Energy and Natural Resources Minister Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan in Putrajaya last August.
Sabah now expects to table the Electric Supply Enactment Bill, Renewable Energy Enactment Bill, and the Energy Commission Enactment at the state assembly in November.
Hajiji said Sabah is expected to take back SESB with zero liabilities once the Sabah Transformation Plan is completed within five to seven years from now.
According to him, the state government is working hard to ensure a smooth transition and that everything will go according to plan.
Parliament passed the two bills by a majority voice vote after the second reading on Monday.
Tabling the bills, Takiyuddin said they were preparation for the reassignment of autonomous power in the supply of electricity to the Sabah government.
Takiyuddin also said the amendments to the Renewable Energy Act 2011 (Act 725) and the Sustainable Energy Development Authority Act 2011 (Act 726) were in line with the government’s commitment to review the implementation of Malaysia Agreement 1963 related to the autonomous rights and powers allocated under the federal constitution to Sabah and Sarawak.
Amendments to the two acts include a new subsection that gives the minister the power to suspend wholly or any provision of the two acts in different parts of Malaysia. – The Vibes, October 4, 2022
