TENAGA Nasional Berhad (TNB) needs to provide a simpler explanation for the high bills that consumers have received for electricity usage during the three months of the movement control order (MCO), said Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

The utility company should do “whatever it takes” to resolve the issue that has caused anxiety among the public.

“The explanation needs to be simplified and made easier to understand. Anything to ease the issue,” he said in a Facebook post.

Zahid believed TNB has no intention to mistreat consumers, adding that consumers will understand if the explanation and reasons are fair.

But consumers should not be burdened any further as they are facing financial struggles since the Covid-19 outbreak.

“Now that we are the government, it’s certainly not the intention of the government to cause more hardship to the people.”

Earlier this month, TNB users began receiving actual readings for their electricity bills after the company resumed door-to-door meter readings that was temporarily halted during the MCO.

During MCO, consumers were given an estimated bill that they could download from the TNB app.

Users have since complained that the actual bills based on the meter readings were too high.

TNB, however, said in a statement this week that it was using the right bill calculation methodology that involved pro-rated billing.

TNB also released an explanation of the MCO electricity utility bill calculation method, in the form of a questionnaire on its website and in leaflets distributed to homes.

The company is also offering an instalment payment plan until December 31. – June 13, 2020.