LABUAN: A hotelier here has described the recent upward adjustment of electricity tariffs as suffocating to the industry and urged the Madani Government to “do something” or some may be phased out of business.
Fauziah Datuk Din, who operates a 22-room hotel in town, said:
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“Prior to the tariff revision, we used to pay about RM2,000 over per month, but now under the new rate it has increased three folds to RM9,206.73.”
She said this was shocking because the room occupancy for the month had remained unchanged at 50 per cent.
She noted that her room rate per day is RM148 as it is moderate-class hotel and cannot add the new cost to the hotel bill.
“This will deter customers nor the hotel a five-star facility to charge higher for the stay.”
Fauziah said she highlighted her dilemma to the SESB station but was brushed off with some technical reasons given which she did not understand.
“I expected some advice on how we should deal with the problem and ways to reduce power usage,” said Fauziah.
She suggested that the Government which had been concerned about the rising cost of living and provided various subsidies, such as Budi Madani RON 95 and diesel, will treat the hotel industry the same way and help out since the industry is also an important component of the economy.
She said another form of help was to support and encourage the use of solar panel under a system free from red tape and any hassles from the authorities.
Recently, Sabah Electricity CEO Datk Ir Mohd Yaakob Jaffar acknowledged that 77 official complaints had been received from consumers on high electricity bills.
He attributed it to unpaid bills, higher usage due to heat wave and festive season.
