NEWS & UPDATES
Wood Processing Factory Operator In Sibu Caught Stealing Electricity
SIBU, 13th January 2016- The operator of a wood processing factory at Upper Lanang Sibu was caught stealing electricity during a recent operation jointly coordinated by Syarikat SESCO Berhad (SESCO) and the Electrical Inspectorate Unit (EIU) of the Ministry of Public Utilities with assistance from the Royal Malaysian Police and the utility’s auxiliary police.
The raid, initiated after SESCO detected abnormality in the remote monitoring data, found that the factory’s electricity meter and wiring system had been tampered with. The factory had been under close surveillance by SESCO as a repeat offender.
The wood processing factory is the size of two football fields and produces wood products by the tonne daily.
The inspection team confirmed that foreign objects were installed in the meter and wiring system to bypass meter resulting in a significantly low billing amount of about RM2, 000 per month, raising suspicion given the factory’s size and its energy intensive operation.
According to a spokesperson from SESCO, “This is another successful raid undertaken by both SESCO and EIU. We had been keeping a close watch on this particular customer as they had repeatedly denied entry to SESCO meter inspection team into the factory’s premise. The operator would ask SESCO to return the next day instead to carry out the inspection. This is their modus operandi of ‘buying time’ so they can remove the foreign object used for tampering.”
“SESCO obtained a warrant from the Magistrate to authorise the team’s access into the factory’s premises and enabled them to seize the tampering device for evidence after which a police report was lodged and an investigation was initiated by EIU to prosecute the operator in court,” he said.
The operator will be charged under Section 33(5) of the Sarawak Electricity Ordinance which carries a fine of up to RM100,000 or imprisonment of five years or both if convicted.
SESCO will continue to work closely with EIU and other government agencies to curb power theft in Sarawak. Those with information on suspicious activities involving power theft are encourage to contact SESCO power theft hotline 082-443535 or email customercare@sarawakenergy.com.my. All information will be kept strictly confidential.
Power theft is not only illegal, but could also lead to injury or fatality.
