LABUAN: Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB), the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources (KeTSA) and the Energy Commission have agreed to appoint a concessionaire to undertake supply of electricity to squatters in Sabah and Labuan.

       SESB chief executive officer Mohd Yaakob Jaafar said the new approach would help resolve the long-standing issue of power theft in squatter colonies.

       "This is a new approach agreed upon by SESB, KeTSA and the Energy Commission to resolve rampant power theft in squatter areas. We will appoint a concessionaire to channel power supply in these areas,” he told Bernama on Sunday (June 19).

       Mohd Yaakob said almost 200 squatter colonies existed in Sabah and Labuan.

       He said a pilot project would commence in Sandakan, Sabah this year before being expanded to Telipok, Kinarut and Labuan.

       "We will try our best cover all the squatter colonies in Sabah especially those gazetted under the Refugee Community Settlement Scheme,” he said.

       Meanwhile, he said the problem of frequent power outage would be resolved through an automation system.

       "Whenever there is an electricity trip, this automation system will reconnect automatically and this is being implemented in Sabah and Labuan,” he said. - Bernama