KUALA LUMPUR: Consumer associations believe that the government's move to extend the discount for electricity use for domestic users until the end of the year will greatly help people cope with financial difficulties.
However, they also believe that it was incumbent on the people to adapt to the new normal and manage their energy consumption.
Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) chief operating officer, Saravanan Thambirajah, said the move would benefit the public, especially those who had been financially hit by the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said the move came on the heels of several government announcements to help people, including the National Economic Stimulus Package, Bantuan Prihatin and the Bantuan Prihatin Elektrik.
"We've seen retrenchments take place. People are losing their sources of income, so this will help them survive for at least the next six months.
"Consumers will benefit from this discount extension, in which they will not see any surcharge on their electricity bills. With this move, people will have extra money and able to use it for other purposes."
The Energy and Natural Resources Ministry, in a statement yesterday, announced that discounts for electricity usage for domestic users would be extended until the end of the year.
Saravanan, who is president of the Water and Energy Consumer Association of Malaysia, said domestic users need not worry on how the bills would be calculated after the six-month period was over as the base tariff had already been set to follow the ICPT (Regulatory Period 2 Imbalance-Cost-Past-Through) charges used worldwide.
He, however, the public to be mindful of their electricity usage.
"Over the past two years, we have had surcharges in our electricity bills. This has all the while been absorbed by the Kumpulan Wang Industri Elektrik (KWIE) so that domestic users don't feel the pinch.
"However, KWIE's funds are not infinite. If it depletes one day, there will be no more money to absorb the surcharges and consumers will then have to bear the cost," he said.
Saravanan advised consumers to be energy-efficient and reduce their energy consumption.
"This should be the way forward. People should understand that whatever they have been paying is actually based on their consumption.
"Consumers should also do an 'energy audit' of their homes. Study which appliances consume the most energy and take steps to minimise their use."
The Consumers Association of Penang lauded efforts by the federal government to ease the burden of the people by extending the domestic electricity bill discounts.
Consumers Association of Penang president Mohideen Abdul Kader, however, said the discount should be offered only to targeted groups who were adversely affected by the economic effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
"In recent months, we have been reading news about people getting retrenched, losing income and others.
"These are the people who should be offered such a discount during trying times, not to all. The discount should also be targeted at the Bottom 40 per cent and Middle 40 per cent community."
He said the discount should not be given to high-use consumers.
"People should not be complacent. They have to be economical."