IPOH, Jan 17 — The High Court here has set aside a judicial review application filed by an Ipoh legal firm to compel Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) to remit the 2.5 per cent rebate into the consumers bill rather than adding onto their existing deposit.

Justice Datuk Che Mohd Ruzima Ghazali said consumers did not suffer any losses even if the rebate was remitted into their deposit.

"Although the law states that rebates are to be paid, it was not stated how the payment should be made,” he said in his oral judgement.

"TNB is still paying the rebate to consumers so the consumers did not suffer any losses,” he added.

Che Ruzima said the applicant had argued that consumers do not get to enjoy the 2.5 per cent rebate as the amount is a channelled into their deposit.

"But be reminded that the amount in the deposit will gradually increase, hence it is not a loss to consumers,” he added.

Earlier, Che Ruzima said if consumers wanted the rebate to be remitted into their bills, they can write in to TNB.

No order on cost was made as Che Ruzima said this was a public interest matter.

BH Koh, Soong, Zarin & Partners had on August filed in the judicial review.

Among the relief sought was magnanimous ruling to order the first respondent to direct TNB to return the 2.5 per cent rebate to all consumers and magnanimous ruling to order the second respondent to carry out its duty by ordering TNB to give rebate for the January bill to all electricity consumers where the rebate is for 2.5 per cent interest accrued in the deposit paid to TNB and cost.

S. Malar Selvi from Federal Counsel represented the Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister, Dir Kheizwan Kamaruddin and Muhammad Fairuz Ahmad Yusof represented the Energy Commission (EC) while Andrew Soong Tze Toong and Y. K. Cheong appeared for the applicant.