PETALING JAYA: The Sustainable Energy Development Authority (Seda) should consider providing discounts to T20 electricity consumers who fit solar panels to their homes, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.
Teresa Kok (PH- Seputeh) said she had received complaints from T20 consumers, who said they would be hit with high electricity bills the moment they are no longer eligible for the tariff subsidies.
T20 (households) that install solar panels
“The T20 group contributes 24% of their incomes to taxes. Therefore, I propose that Seda provide a 20% discount to the T20 (households) that install solar panels,” she said while debating the amendment bill for the Renewable Energy Act (2011).
Three days ago, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced in the Dewan Rakyat that T20 consumers would no longer be eligible for electricity subsidies.
In February, natural resources, environment and climate change minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said electricity tariff subsidies for T20 households should be reviewed as the country needs to move towards targeted subsidies.
2,000 budget hotels
On a separate matter, Kok also spoke about the findings of the report from the Malaysian Productivity Corporation’s (MPC) Tourism Nexus programme, which showed that 2,000 budget hotels that took part in the adjustment of electricity tariffs found themselves saddled with electricity bills that take up 15% of their operational costs.
She said that electricity costs should take up only 5% of their operational costs. These businesses need to be given priority in access to energy audit grants so that they can learn how to use energy efficiently to reduce operational costs.
“Therefore, I would like to ask Seda to review the conditions for the energy audit grant applications so that economic sectors that consume less electricity are eligible to apply and benefit from this government policy.
“What is the point of boasting about grants when the rakyat are finding it hard to apply for them or these grants are only for certain groups?”
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