1. Recently, there have been a lot of complains from the member of public regarding the billing of electricity supply by Tenaga Nasional Berhad. Electricity charges more than doubled in some instances for the billing in the month of April, 2010.
2. From the news report, the incident occurs not only in the state of Kedah. There have been numerous complains even in other states.
3. The reasons that were given by Tenaga Nasional Berhad were that alternate month billing was applied due to lack of manpower.
4. With due respect to Tenaga Nasional Berhad, the alternate month billing had actually shortchanged the consumers.
5. For example, under the residential consumer, the first 500 units of electricity consumed are at the rate of RM0.286 per unit. The next 100 units would be charged at RM0.378 unit. There would also be a gradual increase of the rates for the following 100 units:-
Unit (KWH) ------ Rate (RM)
500 ------ 0.286
100 ------ 0.378
100 ------ 0.387
100 ------ 0.397
100 ------ 0.417
Next ------ 0.446
6. Based on the gradual increase of tariff, the alternate month billing method would definitely burden the people. Any person who used more than 250 units of electricity in a month (being more than 500 units in 2 months) would see that the rate for the consumption of electricity for the next 100 units increased to RM0.378 (i.e. more than 32% increase).
7. After more than a month, there have not been any concrete steps taken by Tenaga Nasional Berhad to address this issue and the billing system.
8. The current alternate month billing system by Tenaga Nasional Berhad defeats the lower tariff rate approved by the government to assist Malaysians.
9. It is time for the Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water to investigate the billing system of Tenaga Nasional Berhad and issue a directive to TNB to rectify all bills under their alternate month billing system.
