Pairin (second left) being briefed by Abdul Nasser (right) about the overview of Sabah Electricity Supply Industry during the first day of the SESB Sabah Electric Supply Open Day at Imago Shopping Mall yesterday.
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah lost RM3.3 million to power theft last year, almost double that of RM1.7 million in 2016, revealed Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan.
Pairin said the state currently produces enough electricity power to meet today’s demand but was made to understand that 700 theft cases were recorded by SESB in 2017.
“Of course, we have problems. Our problem is that what we supply, there are those who steal, vandalize,” he told reporters of the power challenges in Sabah.
“We have a number of squatter areas too. We must study this too whether they are local squatters or foreigners,” he added.
Pairin, also caretaker Infrastructure Development Minister, said approach from policy point of view need to be accommodated and discussed and a coordination committee had already been established to overcome the power issues in Sabah.
He said this after officiating the SESB Sabah Electric Supply Open Day which is held April 15 to 16, at the basement level of Imago Shopping Mall here yesterday.
Pairin called on the public to get the real story of Sabah’s power supply during the two-day event.