PETALING JAYA, Aug 16 — PKR has launched a campaign to pressure Putrajaya into establishing an independent body to review the power tariff hikes that followed a nationwide installation of new electricity meters.

Party vice-president Datuk Chua Jui Meng, who leads the party’s committee on the matter, said PKR had received many complaints of skyrocketing power bills, with some alleging an increase of more than 200 per cent, after the new meters were used. ”The complaints are that bills are generally increasing and there are concerns that the meters may be defective,” Chua told a press conference at the party’s headquarters here. According to Chua, who is also a former federal minister, the tender procurement to provide the meters were given to Bumiputra companies. He noted that such procurement is often conducted with minimal transparency and in the case of the new power meters, the billing mechanism have been allegedly kept away from public knowledge. ”Who did the calibration? Is it the same company? We cannot have the same company doing the calibration,” said Chua. PKR hopes to collect 10,000 signatures through its online petition and has set up a website called www.checkyourtnbmeter.com for the purpose. ”Our target is to achieve 10,000 petitioners and then take this petition to Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) and ST (Power Commission). ”We will then pressure TNB and ST to agree to the creation of an independent body to check the TNB meters.

“We want the truth to be revealed; are the new digital meters faulty or accurate? If the meters are faulty, consumers can demand a refund from TNB,” Chua said. PKR said the party had already engaged with TNB officers on the matter, adding that the national power company are supposedly forthcoming with the idea. Wong Chen, the party’s Kelana Jaya MP and member of the power committee, said the opposition was not taking an antagonising position but is seeking for a joint solution to the issue. ”As much as we are interested in bashing the government daily, we are also interested in finding a solution,” he said. Fear of public backlash had forced the Najib administration to stall its plan to increase power tariffs. Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water, Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Johnity Ongkili, said there is a need to look at the cost of fuel, gas and other inputs, which have been increasing although he government is yet to decide on the electricity tariff review. But Putrajaya said increasing costs and external factors may force TNB to increase power bills amid prospects of protest.