Electricity Tariffs Up: People Burdened, Cronies Continue to Profit

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SHAH ALAM, July 20: The intention of Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) to hike up the electricity tariffs in this country is deemed as nothing strange, in fact, it was expected even before th 13th General Election (GE-13), said PKR Vice-President, Tian Chua.

Tian Chua, when contacted by TVSelangor claimed that among the causes of the increase in electricity tariffs is because of agreements between crony companies, or the Independent Power Producers (IPP), with TNB burdening the national power utility company with high costs.

Following the agreement, crony companies rake in huge profits causing TNB to finally use the excuse of shifting the burden of high costs to consumers.

“Crony companies now receive subsidies from the Federal Government and ultimately reap huge profits however causing TNB to be burdened by high costs and shift them to the consumers.

“The government is making such arrangements when they gave power to IPPs which reverses back to TNB and back to the people.

“This is a crony system practiced by Umno-BN since before,” he said when commenting on the statement by TNB Chairman, Tan Sri Leo Moggie, that the ministry is likely to review electricity tariffs due to the Federal Government’s desire to reduce subsidies for electricity.

Moggie said that the government was currently giving huge subsidies especially for gas.


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