KOTA KINABALU: A prepaid card system will be introduced to eligible squatters wanting electricity supply in Sabah, says the Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB).

       SESB transformation chief officer Norhizami Abu Hasan said this is one way to prevent the illegal connection of electricity.

       He said the state has agreed to this proposal by SESB, and parties involved including the Energy Commission are working together to finalise the procedures and terms of implementation.

       He said that if this proposal starts implementation, those who are eligible can just reload and top up these prepaid cards to get the supply of electricity needed each month.

       There are about 200 squatter colonies in Sabah, including a few in the city area.

       Previously, Sabah Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia information chief Khairul Firdaus Akhbar Khan said that the millions of ringgit in losses incurred by SESB was due to power theft as a result of the bureaucratic practices in SESB itself.

       To this, Norhizami said SESB understands the plights faced by villagers who do not have access to electricity but the company has no choice but to conduct operations on illegal connections on an ongoing basis.

       He said apart from monetary factors, these operations were vital to prevent untoward incidents relating to illegal power connections.

       He urged everyone to give their full cooperation in the bid to curb illegal power connections in Sabah.

       Norhizami said the act of power stealing creates a ripple effect towards a whole community, where not only the squatters or thieves might put their lives at risk with non-compliant connections but also on paying customers who might suffer from power disruptions.