Pemimpin MCA gesa ambang perlindungan bil elektrik dinaikkan lagi

MCA's deputy president Lawrence Low has urged the government to consider raising the cap on free electricity subsidies to 1,200 kWj per month. Speaking to a press conference, Low said the sudden increase in electricity bills for households exceeding 800 kWj could be mitigated by a progressive mechanism. The MCA leader argued that reducing subsidies progressively as consumption increases, rather than abruptly at the cap, would enable households to continue using electricity as usual while improving energy efficiency.

Low emphasized that ensuring stable electricity costs does not mean encouraging wasteful consumption. The extra income from households can be better invested in cooling systems, washing machines, computers, electric vehicles, and related technologies to support the electricity, electronics, manufacturing, renovation, and related services sectors.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced that the government would expand electricity subsidies for domestic users up to 800 kWj per month, up from the previous 600 kWj limit, until the end of the year. The PM stated that under the revised measures, households using up to 800 kWj per month would be exempt from the Automatic Fuel Adjustment Scheme (AFA), renovation levy, and sales and services tax (SST).

Anwar, who is also the Finance Minister, previously said that the recent heatwave and humid weather had led to increased household electricity consumption, causing some to exceed the 600 kWj limit and face AFA charges. Low called for a review and reduction of the 8% SST rate on domestic electricity bills to 6% or lower. He also urged the government to re-examine the base tariff for electricity under the 4th Review Period (RP4), which is currently set at 45.40 sen per kWj, and consider lowering it to 39.95 sen per kWj under the 3rd Review Period (RP3).