SESB’s rural wiring scheme to benefit 8,670

KENINGAU: About 8,670 underprivileged consumers in rural Sabah will benefit from the Rural Wiring Assistance Scheme (RWS), one of the projects of Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) implemented since April 2011.

Disclosing this during his working visit to Kampung Libodon on Thursday, SESB senior general manager (assets development) Abdul Nasser Abdul Wahid said that after receiving an overwhelming response from consumers to the first phase of the project, the second phase was launched on May 1 this year and will be carried out until April 2016 with an allocation of RM4.4 million.

According to him, the monthly instalment to be paid over 36 months is RM14.20 for the first month and RM14.16 for the remaining months.

“There will be an overall payment of RM510 under normal market price which involves the installation of two point lights and a socket in the house,” he told the media here yesterday.

Also present during the visit was Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department and Sook assemblyman Datuk Elron Alfred Angin, Sook Community Development Leader Charles Ikang, and the District Officer’s representative Jeffrus Rijan.

Nasser said that so far, 430 houses were already connected with electricity after the launch of the first phase of the project for Keningau.

For the second phase, 60 houses were already connected in Keningau and 71 houses throughout the state.

He said this shows that demand under this scheme is big in the district and the implementation of this project would be extended to Sook areas in the future due to encouraging response from the people.

Under the scheme, consumers who cannot afford need not have to wait long to get electricity. This is because the power connection will be made within two working days after the payment of security deposits and agreement letter signed by the applicant, he said.