Tenaga Nasional Bhd hopes the 2012  budget, to be tabled in Parliament on Oct 7, will address the subsidy issue quickly so that the distortion created in the market can be regularised again.

"We have created distortion in the market for so long and to the extent that now the problem has snowballed. It has reached a point where the subsidy model is no longer sustainable. Of course, if you remove the subsidy entirely, it will not be politically correct.

tenaga tnb pb 300511 azman mohd, che khalib mohamad noh, mohamed rafique merican "But, we must have a plan to gradually remove some part of the subsidy so that the distortion created can be regularised again.

"We don't want the problem to reach a breaking point where it is no longer tenable for any government to continue giving subsidy. It needs to be quickly addressed. We have to start somewhere," said President and Chief Executive Officer Che Khalib Mohd Noh ( middle, in photo ) in an interview with Bernama.

In promoting green energy, Che Khalib said the government should give tax incentives to encourage commercial and domestic users to look seriously into using energy saving equipment for appliances that consume high electricity such as air conditioners and refrigerators.

Perhaps, the government should even consider computer tax relief for individuals.

"The government can consider giving tax relief of probably about RM500 a year on a certain amount spent on the purchase of energy savings devices," he added.

- Bernama