KOTA KINABALU: Kota Kinabalu Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KKCCCI) president Datuk Michael Lui Yen Sang has urged Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) to resolve the electricity rationing issue in Sabah as soon as possible.
Lui said there was nothing electricity users could do when the power rationing was implemented but to remain patient.
Nonetheless, he said every household had the responsibility to save energy by turning off electrical devices that were not in use, such as lights or fans.
“Although it doesn’t seem much, if every household do so, it will make a big difference,” he said when contacted yesterday.
Lui said he also adopted power saving approach in his own home, by switching off unused electrical devices and raising the temperature of the air-conditioning from 20 to 25 degrees Celsius.
While Lui has not received complaints from the business community on the power rationing, he said doing so would certainly affect businesses such as restaurants or cold storage outlets.
“Perhaps restaurants, supermarkets, mini markets and shops would need to ready generator sets to cope with blackouts.”
He also suggested industry players study ways to overcome frequent blackouts.
On the other hand, Lui reiterated that the SESB management should ensure frequent maintenance of its facilities as well as to acquire genuine and durable generator sets or spare parts to prevent recurring power supply issues.
SESB, in a statement issued on Sunday, said the rationing was implemented due to the problem of channeling gas to the two power stations owned by independent power producers (IPPs) and it would be stopped until early next week.
The rationing is implemented during peak demand hours on rotation with the maximum period lasting three hours during each cycle in several areas in the east and west coasts of Sabah.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Haji Aman has urged SESB to cooperate with Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) to address the electricity rationing problem being implemented in the state.