Union wants discussion on govt’s SESB takeover plan

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) Employees Union (KPP) has called on the state government for a discussion on the issue of its plan to take over the utility company.

KPP president Azhar Datuk M.Y Ahmad yesterday said Chief Minister Datuk Mohd Shafie Apdal had stated at a recent state assembly sitting on the possibility of the government taking over the utility company.

He said the issue was now being hotly debated and had caused concern and anxiety among SESB workers.

In this regard, he reckoned that a discussion between the management of SESB, KPP and representatives of the state government should be held to clarify the confusion over the issue.

“The matter to re-acquire SESB’s ownership by the state government should be studied more in depth and transparent by taking the welfare of SESB employees into consideration.”

On Nov 15, Mohd Shafie said the state government would set up a body to carry out detailed studies on the steps to take over SESB before a decision on the matter was made.

Mohd Shafie said the study would also ensure a win-win situation not only for the state government but also the federal government, including Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB).

SESB has many problems and liabilities. However, the state government is aware of the need to increase SESB’s capacity in attracting investors to Sabah.

In October this year, Federal Minister of Energy, Technology, Science, Climate Change and the Environment, Yeo Bee Yin and her entourage from TNB had, in a meeting with the Chief Minister, suggested that the state government took over SESB.