TAWAU: Sri Tanjong Assemblyman Justin Wong has challenged Sabah Electricity’s (SE) claim that hot weather and increased consumption are the primary causes of higher electricity bills, saying the explanation has failed to satisfy residents and businesses in his constituency.
He said feedback from the ground suggests bills have risen far above the 15 per cent figure previously cited by SE, with some households reporting increases that bear no relation to that benchmark.
“One consumer paid around RM220 in March, but their bill jumped to RM510 in May,” he said, adding that many residents insist their daily electricity usage has not changed significantly.
Some small and medium-sized businesses in the area reported similar spikes, with bills rising from RM313 in March to RM576 in May — an increase Justin described as alarming, particularly for companies operating on tight margins.
He noted that many offices run air-conditioning consistently throughout the year, regardless of season, with some using centralised control systems specifically to maintain stable consumption.
That made it difficult, he said, to accept weather or festive-season usage as adequate explanations for the surge.
Justin also pointed to an earlier assurance by SE that 85 per cent of households would see a maximum increase of RM27 following tariff adjustments.
“When measured against what people are actually paying now, that statement raises serious questions and is being seen as misleading,” he said.
He further questioned whether SE has the capacity to meet demand should a super El Niño event occur.
“If you want to raise tariffs but are unwilling to guarantee service quality, that is simply not reasonable,” he said.
Justin called on the Sabah Government and SE to provide an honest account of the true causes behind the tariff increase, respond transparently to public concerns and put in place practical solutions to ease the financial burden on residents and businesses.
To support that effort, he urge consumers, including households, traders and factory operators, particularly in Tawau, to submit detailed bill comparisons covering March to August 2025 to his office via WhatsApp at 010-9507154 or by email at askme.adunsritanjong@gmail.com.
Once the data is compiled, Justin said his office will formally present it to the government as a representative account of what constituents are experiencing, with the expectation that authorities will conduct a thorough investigation and take appropriate action to protect both residents and the business community.
