SURIAKU SET TO GO NATIONWIDE VIA MYSURIA
NCIATOLEAD ROLLOUT: Green technology initiative aims at improving the socio-economic standing of the lower income group
THE SuriaKU initiative, with the underlying concept of utilising renewable energy and green technology that had its pilot programme successfully implemented here, was rebranded as MySuria during the 2017 Budget announcement yesterday. It will now be rolled out nationwide starting next year.
The brainchild of Perlis Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azlan Man, the SuriaKU “Sunlight at Koridor Utara” programme aims at improving the socio-economic standing of the lower income group (B40) and help position them into the middle-class income bracket (M40). The initiative will help generate income by tapping into solar energy sources — that is using green technology to produce clean energy.
Through this programme, it is expected that the target group will be able to earn an extra monthly income of up to RM600.
The pilot programme is a tripartite arrangement involving the Perlis State Government, Northern Corridor Implemention Authority (NCIA) and the lead private sector company Gading Kencana Sdn Bhd (GKSB), in cooperation with the Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry and the Sustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA).
“For the pilot progamme in Pauh, Perlis, which was completed in November last year, 4kW solar photovoltaic (PV) panels were installed on rooftops of 21 houses in the B40 bracket to generate electricity, that will be sold directly to Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB),” said NCIA chief executive Datuk Redza Rafiq.
“This is part of the government’s initiative where house owners sign a RE Power Purchase Agreement for 21 years under the Feed-In-Tariff (FiT) mechanism.
The house owners stand to earn an average amount of up to RM600 per month through this initiative, meaning that they will have additional sustainable income from SuriaKU for
the next 21 years,” he added.
“We are happy that the SuriaKU Pilot Programme has benefited about 84 beneficiaries or household members as well as created 15 green jobs for the local community here.
For the next phase that is planned for next year, 100 more homes in the state will be given an opportunity to create secondary income by tapping into the rich natural sunlight that Perlis is blessed with,” said Azlan.
“The objectives of SuriaKU are very much in line with the 11th Malaysia Plan (11MP), where the focus will be to uplift economic opportunities and participation of B40 households to
ensure that Malaysia’s prosperity can be shared by all Malaysians. Indeed, as stipulated in the 11MP, by uplifting the B40 households, Malaysia will take a big step towards becoming an advanced and more inclusive nation,” he added.
In line with the 2017 Budget announcement, the initiative will help generate secondary income for 1,620 homes, with FiT capacity of 6.48 MW.
The total amount of funding for the nation is at RM81 million with 50 per cent coming from public funding and another 50 per cent from the private sector.
For Mahamood Mat Saman, a retired gardener in his 70s from a small community here, the SuriaKU programme has proven to be a boon for his family.
“As I turned 70 years old, I had to retire from my job as a gardener. I did some rubber tapping and collected betel nuts for sale. But it was not
enough to support my family as I have four grandchildren still studying,” said Mahamood, fondly known as Pak Mud.
“The proceeds received through the SuriaKU programme has helped us with our daily expenses. We are truly blessed to have received this support from NCIA and the Perlis State Government,” he added.
Meanwhile, income for Zaleha Mat Din, a rubber tapper, and her husband Halim Che Said, has always been dependent on the weather, which is quite uncertain.
“Our income has been affected lately as rubber prices had decreased drastically. When it is very hot, the trees produce very little latex and when it rains heavily, we cannot go out to tap rubber,” said Zaleha.
“Our children are still studying. We are thankful to the SuriaKU programme for supplementing our income. It is very useful for our children’s education fees,“she added.