KOTA KINABALU: The State Government welcomes the passing of the Renewable
Energy (Amendment) Bill 2022 and the Sustainable Energy Development Authority
(Amendment) Bill 2022, which will pave the way for Sabah to regain regulatory control
over the electric power supply.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor said the two bills were tabled
following the high-powered meeting initiated by him and Energy and Natural Resources
Minister Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan in Putrajaya in August to set the plan in motion for
Sabah to regulate its own electricity and gas supply as well as regain control of power
utility company, Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB).
“Plans are now being rolled out and this will include the setting up of the Sabah Energy
Commission so that the electricity supply regulatory authority can be transferred from the
Federal Government to Sabah,” he said.
On Sabah’s side, the State Government is expected to table the Electric Supply
Enactment Bill, Renewable Energy Enactment Bill and Energy Commission Enactment
Bill at the State Assembly in November this year.
Following that, Hajiji said the State Government expects to take back SESB with zero
liabilities once the SESB 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.
The Parliament passed the two bills by a majority voice vote after the second reading on
Monday.
Tabling the bills, Takiyuddin said it was in preparation for the reassignment of autonomous
power in the supply of electricity to the Sabah state 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 the 1963 Malaysia
Agreement related to the autonomous rights and powers allocated under the Federal
Constitution to the states of Sabah and Sarawak.
Amendments to the two acts included a new subsection that gives the Minister the power
to suspend wholly or any provision of the two acts in different parts of Malaysia.-pr/BNN
