KOTA KINABALU – More than 2,000 residents living in the Sabah Forest Industries (SFI) workers’ quarters have been forced to endure without electricity over the past three days after the former timber processing estate raked up RM324,965.45 in unpaid bills.
A former SFI worker, Jefrey Gopog, said residents are also facing water disruption as electricity was needed to power-up the water pumps so that each of the houses can receive water.
This is the second time the timber processing estate has experienced this problem. The first incident happened in late 2022, with over RM700,000 in unpaid bills at the time.
“This time the special school for children with Down’s Syndrome, the kindergarten, SK Padang Berempah primary and secondary schools are also affected,” Gopog told The Vibes.
According to him, several former SFI staff members had met Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim during his visit here for the state-level Hari Raya Aidilfitri open house last week to inform him about the impending power cut by utility company Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd.
Gopog said residents have had to go through candle-lit nights and had to harvest rain for water since the power cut began.
The state government has stepped in to resolve the electricity problem during the first incident last year.
It was learnt that a firm has been named to make all the collections to settle all the dues.
However, Gopog claimed that the firm did not pay up their share of the bill in spite of being in charge of collecting money from the former workers living in the estate.
The Sabah government has allowed the former workers to stay in the pulp mill estate since SFI was declared insolvent. The state government has retaken the 46.033ha land.
The state announced that a consortium would take over SFI and the former workers would be re-hired in the process. – The Vibes, May 4, 2023
