It is time the government did something to help consumers who are facing high electricity and telephone bills. Nowadays it is common for a middle class family to pay about RM300-RM500 monthly in electricity charges, which is a big chunk of their household income.

Unlike water consumption, there is a limit to reducing electricity consumption as today most gadgets and appliances depend on electricity. Nowadays there are a lot of electrical appliances that use more green technology and less electricity, but still the electricity bills are high. The lower income group is affected the most and there is an urgent need for the electricity tariffs to be reviewed and weighted in favour of the reasonable consumer.

The price of fossil fuels such as oil and coal has dropped dramatically in the last couple of years and the Malaysian consumer should benefit from this. At one time Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) gave the excuse of rural electrification for the high charges, and now it is stating that it is due to the unfair and lopsided deals with the independent power producers (IPPs).

Additionally, telephone charges for both the land line and mobile phones are extremely high compared to neighbouring countries. Malaysian consumers appear to be a docile and uncomplaining lot, which situation favours the telcos.

Telekom Malaysia still imposes rental scheme for its land lines even 58 years after Merdeka. In the past it was stated that this rental scheme was to help subsidise the rural telecommunications network. Has this effort not been completed after all these six decades? Is there still a need to impose the rental fee?

Also, mobile telephone operators are allegedly exploiting the users to the hilt and the government and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) seem to be compliant and doing nothing. The Goods and Services Tax (GST) saga last year was a case in point where the telcos appeared dominant and demanding.

These telcos rake in billions of ringgit in profit annually and the government appears to be only interested in their corporate tax contributions, and does not bother about their profit maximisation practice.

Doesn’t the government care about the much exploited telephone, mobile phone and Internet customers in the country who are paying many times more than others worldwide? It is time the government stepped in to help the over-burdened average Malaysian who is possibly facing the worst times since Merdeka.