ENERGY, Technology, Science, Climate Change and Environment Minister Yeo Bee Yin wants Sabahans to be patient as the ministry works to resolve the electricity woes in the state.

“We are sympathetic to Sabah, as the state has the lowest GDP per capita in the country.

“I understand the people of Sabah need to have a stable electricity supply to help the industry to improve their businesses,” she said.

Yeo told reporters during a townhall session with stakeholders on Sabah’s power industry in Kota Kinabalu today that she has no qualms over Sabahans’ desire to have Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) back under state control.

Yeo said one of her immediate focus would be to increase the power supply to Sabah’s East Coast grid.

The west coast currently has an excess reserve margin of 66% while the east is running on -33% deficit.

As the west coast grid would only be able to supply a certain portion of its power, Yeo said the government is looking for other source of power generation, including renewable energy.

This included the controversial construction of the RM4.5 billion trans Sabah gas pipeline Trans-Sabah Gas Pipeline (TSGP).

TSGP is a project involving transferring gas from Sabah’s west coast to the east coast.

Yeo said the federal ministry had paid the contractor 88% of the project value or RM3.5 billion but not a single inch of pipe has been laid.

“There is nothing on the ground except on paper that some 11% of land clearing was done.

“For now, we are only left with only two options, one, get the project done or recover the money, but there is no decision on that matter yet,” she said.

The Finance Ministry has taken action against the government-linked firm, including its top management having resigned and replaced with another. – July 28, 2018.