While the electrical supply in Malaysia is a virtual monopoly under state-owned national power company Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), the government has implemented special measures to ensure that the tariff will not be too high and burden the rakyat.

“The government has its own means and methods to ensure that the tariff is under control and will not burden consumers,” assured Energy, Green Technology and Water Deputy Minister Noriah Kasnon during Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat today.

She was replying a supplementary question from Mohd Nasir Zakaria (PAS-Padang Terap) after his original question on electrical tariffs hike by TNB in recent years.

Noriah added that while power distribution is still pretty much closed, the government is opening up the electrical power generation to the free market.

“Even though this sector can be said to be a monopoly, however the government has begun to open up power generation to independent power producers.”

Noriah added that any power tariff hike will only take place if need be and based on the various costs increases, including power distribution infrastructure development and fuel procurement for power plants.