The proposal to supply electricity from Sarawak to Peninsular Malaysia still requires detailed studies before it can be realised, as stated by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Amar Fadillah Yusof.

Fadillah, also the Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation, emphasized that although the project has received policy approval in principle, its implementation remains at the technical stage, which involves various considerations including engineering requirements, costs, and cross-border cooperation.

Key Requirements and Feasibility

Among the critical requirements is the conduct of a seabed cable route survey that will involve Indonesian waters, as the power transmission route from Sarawak to Peninsular Malaysia would need to pass through that area.

“We need to inform Indonesia first before the survey can be carried out. After this survey is finalised, only then can the feasibility study be conducted,” he informed reporters following the Ceria Ke Sekolah Programme for P194 Petra Jaya with Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) at a hotel here.

Fadillah elaborated that the project is expected to be managed by TNB and may also involve other strategic partners such as Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas) and Sarawak Energy Berhad as the power supplier.

Cost and Infrastructure Considerations

He stressed that aspects of cost and tariff rates have yet to be determined, as they entirely depend on the outcomes of the detailed studies to be conducted later.

“Tariffs cannot be determined now because we need to know the actual cost of this project first. Only after that can tariff negotiations be conducted between Sarawak Energy and TNB,” he explained.

Commenting on infrastructure, he noted that the concept of a subsea cable, whether it will be one or two routes, has yet to be finalised and will depend on the results of technical studies as well as approvals from Indonesian authorities.

Fadillah (centre) presenting one of the recipients with a school bag during the event.

He mentioned that there are multiple options available, including a cable landing in Peninsular Malaysia before being connected to Singapore, or a separate cable directly to Singapore, depending on the agreements made by all parties involved.

In this context, the cost of the cable transmitting electricity to Singapore would be fully borne by Singapore, while the expense of the cable to Peninsular Malaysia would be covered by TNB along with the appointed strategic partners.

Timeline and Community Support

“It is still too early to confirm whether two separate subsea cables will be constructed, as everything is subject to the results of the feasibility study,” he stated.

Touching upon the implementation timeline, Fadillah indicated that the government hopes the initial study process can commence next year, but this is heavily reliant on approvals and cannot yet be confirmed as it largely depends on Indonesia’s approval process.

Meanwhile, Fadillah also commented on the Ceria Ke Sekolah Programme for P194 Petra Jaya with TNB, which involved 250 students from his parliamentary constituency.

“This programme reflects TNB’s continued commitment to supporting education and community welfare, especially for students from low-income families,” he remarked.

“Through the programme, a total of 250 primary and secondary school students in the P194 Petra Jaya parliamentary constituency received complete and high-quality basic school supplies,” he added.

The recipients were carefully identified and selected by branches of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) in the N6 Tupong, N7 Samariang, and N8 Satok constituencies to ensure that only those who truly deserved the assistance received the aid.

“Programmes such as this complement the various forms of educational assistance provided by the Federal and Sarawak government, including cash aid and other support for students,” he noted.

He added that contributions in school bags, stationery, clothing, and shoes significantly aid parents in preparing their children for the new school term.

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