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Daily Express
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Express
Keniogan folks hopeful of 24-hour power supply
Published on: Tuesday, June 17, 2025 Published on: Tue, Jun 17, 2025 By: Abbey Junior Text Size: Sabah Electricity personnel inspecting the upgraded generator facility at the Pulau Keniogan power station, which now supplies electricity to the island for up to 18 hours daily as part of efforts to achieve 24-hour coverage. BELURAN: Villagers on Pulau Keniogan are one step closer to enjoying 24-hour electricity, as Sabah Electricity ramps up efforts to improve power supply on the remote island. The community, made up of some 200 households, currently receives electricity for 18 hours a day — an upgrade from the previous 12-hour schedule — following the installation of a new, more efficient diesel generator. Advertisement Sabah Electricity Chief Operating Officer Ir. Ts. Mohd Yusmanizam Mohd Yusof said the move was part of the utility's commitment to ensure equitable access to electricity for all, including rural and island communities. 'We've sent a new, more efficient generator to Pulau Keniogan to ensure a more dependable power supply,' he said. 'We are working towards 24-hour electricity. Our goal is to make sure that every Sabahan gets the best service and electricity supply possible.' Pulau Keniogan, located off the coast of Sandakan and accessible only by boat, is home to a Bajau-majority fishing community that has long depended on candlelight, kerosene lamps and small private generators to get through the night. Local development officer (UPPM) Lokman Madlis said the longer electricity hours had already improved daily life for many residents. 'Alhamdulillah, it now feels like we're not so isolated anymore,' he said. 'People here have freezers, some even have air-conditioning and Astro. With longer electricity hours, we can store our catch properly and send it to the mainland for sale the next day. This really helps our income, especially for those who depend entirely on fishing.' Community representative Kamarzaman Marof echoed similar sentiments, saying full-day electricity is not just a convenience but a necessity. 'We really need 24-hour supply because ice is crucial for the fishermen,' he said. 'Without it, it's hard to keep our catch fresh. Some of us go out to sea in the morning and only return late in the day. If the ice melts or there's not enough, the fish will spoil and we lose money.' He pointed out that many elderly villagers rely on fans or cooling appliances due to the heat, adding that 24-hour power would improve their comfort and health. Sabah Electricity is currently working with the Rural and Regional Development Ministry (KKDW) to complete a solar hybrid project on the island. Once completed, it is expected to provide long-term, clean and reliable energy to the village. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
New Straits Times
03-06-2025
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Help on the way for family living in makeshift hut
KUALA BERANG: The plight of a family living in a makeshift hut may soon end, following intervention by the state Rural and Regional Development Ministry office. State Umno liaison committee chairman Datuk Rozi Mamat said the office has been instructed to urgently address the housing needs of Mat Nasir Ismail, 48, from Kampung Paya Besar, Kuala Berang. "We have contacted the state director, Md Razi Md Lazim, to address Mat Nasir's situation, who is currently living in a makeshift hut with his wife, five children, and a daughter-in-law. "We will also reach out to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, to request urgent approval of funds for the construction of a proper house for Mat Nasir and his family," he said after visiting the family yesterday. It was previously reported that Mat Nasir, his wife Mazilah Mansor, 47, and their five children, including a child with disabilities, aged between 11 and 22, and a daughter-in-law, have been living in a makeshift hut in the village due to financial hardship and inability to pay rent. Following the report, various parties have stepped in to help, including launching a donation drive to cover part of the water piping work and the estimated RM2,000 needed for meter installation. Meanwhile, several officers from the Hulu Terengganu land office, the Social Welfare Department and the Terengganu Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (Maidam) also visited the family to offer assistance. Maidam chief executive officer Associate Professor Datuk Dr Ahmad Azrin Adnan said based on the council's aid records, Mat Nasir has been receiving monthly aid of RM700 since January. He had been receiving a monthly assistance of RM500 from the council since 2017.
New Straits Times
01-06-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
DPM Zahid to undertake four-day working visit to UK
LONDON: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi will be on a four-day working visit to the United Kingdom (UK) beginning today until Wednesday. Malaysian High Commissioner to the UK and Northern Ireland Datuk Zakri Jaafar said the trip follows recent visits by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in January and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof in April. "This visit will further strengthen bilateral ties between Malaysia and the UK across various sectors. "As Chair of Asean 2025, Malaysia will also use the opportunity to share achievements and encouraging outcomes under its leadership," he told a press conference here Saturday. Zahid and his delegation are expected to arrive at Heathrow International Airport at about 8.15pm local time (3.15am Monday Malaysian time), accompanied by senior officials from the Foreign Ministry, the Rural and Regional Development Ministry and the Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Ministry. Zakri said that during the visit, Zahid, who is also rural and regional development minister, is scheduled to meet UK Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Steve Reed in Whitehall on June 2. The meeting will cover bilateral relations as well as disaster risk management, in line with Zahid's role as chairman of the Central Disaster Management Committee. "In addition to official engagements with the host country, the deputy prime minister will deliver a keynote address at the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Forum titled ' Malaysia's TVET Leadership in Asean: Building Skills for a Shared Future ' at University College London. "The forum is expected to be attended by representatives of Asean missions in the UK, students, senior university officials, academics and researchers," he added. Zakri said Zahid will also host a gathering with Malaysian students in the UK on the same day. On June 3, Zahid is scheduled to attend a roundtable meeting with the franchise industry and tourism sector agencies, followed by the launch of Visit Malaysia Year 2026 for the UK market. The programme aims to promote Malaysia as a top tourism destination in Asia, targeting the UK and broader European markets. "To enhance the campaign's outreach, the deputy prime minister also give interviews to two travel media outlets - TTG Media and Wanderlust," Zakri said. – Bernama
The Sun
01-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
DPM Ahmad Zahid to undertake four-day working visit to UK
LONDON: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi will be on a four-day working visit to the United Kingdom (UK) beginning today until Wednesday (June 4). Malaysian High Commissioner to the UK and Northern Ireland Datuk Zakri Jaafar said the trip follows recent visits by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in January and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof in April. 'This visit will further strengthen bilateral ties between Malaysia and the UK across various sectors. 'As Chair of ASEAN 2025, Malaysia will also use the opportunity to share achievements and encouraging outcomes under its leadership,' he told a press conference here Saturday. Ahmad Zahid and his delegation are expected to arrive at Heathrow International Airport at about 8.15 pm local time (3.15 am Monday Malaysian time), accompanied by senior officials from the Foreign Ministry, the Rural and Regional Development Ministry and the Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Ministry. Zakri said that during the visit, Ahmad Zahid, who is also Rural and Regional Development Minister, is scheduled to meet UK Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Steve Reed in Whitehall on June 2. The meeting will cover bilateral relations as well as disaster risk management, in line with Ahmad Zahid's role as chairman of the Central Disaster Management Committee. 'In addition to official engagements with the host country, the Deputy Prime Minister will deliver a keynote address at the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Forum titled 'Malaysia's TVET Leadership in ASEAN: Building Skills for a Shared Future' at University College London. 'The forum is expected to be attended by representatives of ASEAN missions in the UK, students, senior university officials, academics and researchers,' he added. According to Zakri, Ahmad Zahid will also host a gathering with Malaysian students in the UK on the same day. On June 3, Ahmad Zahid is scheduled to attend a roundtable meeting with the franchise industry and tourism sector agencies, followed by the launch of Visit Malaysia Year 2026 for the UK market. The programme aims to promote Malaysia as a top tourism destination in Asia, targeting the UK and broader European markets. 'To enhance the campaign's outreach, the Deputy Prime Minister also give interviews to two travel media outlets - TTG Media and Wanderlust,' Zakri said.
New Straits Times
01-06-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
DPM Ahmad Zahid to undertake four-day working visit to UK
LONDON: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi will be on a four-day working visit to the United Kingdom (UK) beginning today until Wednesday. Malaysian High Commissioner to the UK and Northern Ireland Datuk Zakri Jaafar said the trip follows recent visits by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in January and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof in April. "This visit will further strengthen bilateral ties between Malaysia and the UK across various sectors. "As Chair of Asean 2025, Malaysia will also use the opportunity to share achievements and encouraging outcomes under its leadership," he told a press conference here Saturday. Zahid and his delegation are expected to arrive at Heathrow International Airport at about 8.15pm local time (3.15am Monday Malaysian time), accompanied by senior officials from the Foreign Ministry, the Rural and Regional Development Ministry and the Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Ministry. Zakri said that during the visit, Zahid, who is also rural and regional development minister, is scheduled to meet UK Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Steve Reed in Whitehall on June 2. The meeting will cover bilateral relations as well as disaster risk management, in line with Zahid's role as chairman of the Central Disaster Management Committee. "In addition to official engagements with the host country, the deputy prime minister will deliver a keynote address at the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Forum titled ' Malaysia's TVET Leadership in Asean: Building Skills for a Shared Future ' at University College London. "The forum is expected to be attended by representatives of Asean missions in the UK, students, senior university officials, academics and researchers," he added. Zakri said Zahid will also host a gathering with Malaysian students in the UK on the same day. On June 3, Zahid is scheduled to attend a roundtable meeting with the franchise industry and tourism sector agencies, followed by the launch of Visit Malaysia Year 2026 for the UK market. The programme aims to promote Malaysia as a top tourism destination in Asia, targeting the UK and broader European markets. "To enhance the campaign's outreach, the deputy prime minister also give interviews to two travel media outlets - TTG Media and Wanderlust," Zakri said. – Bernama
