PETALING JAYA: Business groups and consumers are thankful that electricity tariffs are being kept at 39.45 sen per kilowatt hour (kWh), saying that it will lighten their burden as the nation continues to cope with challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.
SME Association of Malaysia president Datuk Michael Kang said the decision would help small and medium enterprises get back on their feet after struggling to keep businesses afloat throughout the year.
“It would definitely be a big help for SMEs to rebuild their business after a tough year, ” he said.
The Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) also welcomed the decision saying it would be beneficial for households especially those in the lower income categories.
“Keeping electric tariffs at current levels will help to reduce utility costs and allow low income families to spend on other essentials, ” said Fomca secretary-general Datuk Paul Selva Raj.
He, however, reminded consumers to be thrifty with their electricity usage and hoped more campaigns could be organised to deter people from wasting electricity.
“More needs to be done to create awareness to promote energy efficiency and conservation, ” he said.
Sharan Raj, an environmentalist, said while the tariffs would be a relief to many, he also urged them to not waste the resource.
“The decision grants relief to domestic consumers who have lost their income or have had to work from home during the movement control order.
“However, with more affordable tariffs, certain households could be tempted to be wasteful and they must avoid that, ” said Sharan.
Source : https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2020/12/24/groups-laud-decision-to-maintain-power-tariffs