Consumers shouldn’t be punished for alleged incorrect meter readings, MP tells SEB

KUCHING (Oct 2): Sarawak Energy Bhd (SEB) should not be back-dating charges and punishing consumers for alleged incorrect readings from old meters, said Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii.

In a statement today, he emphasised that consumers should not be held responsible for faulty readings unless there is clear evidence of meter tampering.

“Unless there is clear evidence of tampering with the meter, it is not the fault of the consumers for inaccurate readings from old meters, and they should not be made accountable or even punished for that.

“This is especially for consumers who have been diligently paying based on what is billed to them and have not in any way attempted to temper with the meter,” he said.

He pointed out that while the new smart meter may be more accurate than the older meter and shows more exact readings, new charges should only be applied moving forward and not retroactively for readings from old meters, which are the responsibility of SEB to monitor in the first place.

“Such unfair practices, including demanding a lump sum up-front, have caused much financial strain and unnecessary stress for many consumers. Electricity is a basic need, and the fear of it being cut due to sudden high arrears is crippling many consumers,” he said.

He explained that demanding a lump sum payment due to back-dated calculations caused by alleged faulty “old meters” is placing a sudden huge financial burden, especially on those in the mid-lower income group.

Dr Yii said that while SEB can refund and credit overpayments in future bills, it is not easy for everyone to come up with that lump sum payment within the stipulated time.

“That is why i strongly urge SEB to reconsider their procedures and be more compassionate to the needs of consumers. While there is no compromise for those that attempt to tamper with meters, the rest of the law-abiding citizens should not be made to be punished for matters out of their control,” he added.

He highlighted that with SEB showing healthy profits year after year, including a reported net profit of RM800 million in the first quarter of 2023, there is clearly room for a compassionate way forward for the benefit of Sarawakians.

“That is why I urge SEB to find ways to even write off any back-calculations and back-dated charges before the installation of a smart meter, unless there is clear evidence of illegal meter tempering,” he said.