KOTA KINABALU (Oct 4): 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 Hajiji 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 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.