KOTA KINABALU, March 19 — The Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd Employees Union (KPPSESB) wants several facilities including the medical benefits enjoyed by current and retired employees of SESBs to be maintained following the state government’s takeover of the company.
KPPSESB president Azhar MY Ahmad said the union fully supported the acquisition of SESB from Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), however, he urged the state government to safeguard the welfare of the staff as well as to ensure that none of them were laid off.
“In 1998, SESB, then known as Lembaga Letrik Sabah, was privatised and taken over by TNB. Automatically, we as the civil servants at that time were retired. But the benefits we enjoyed at the time were still given to us by TNB, and they continue till yesterday.
“Hence, we hope that such benefits received previously will be retained for the welfare of SESB staff including retirees,” he told reporters after a paying a courtesy call on the Yang Dipertua Negeri Sabah Tun Juhar Mahiruddin at Istana Negeri here, yesterday.
He said KPPSESB had earlier submitted documents regarding the proposal to Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal and State Secretary Datuk Mohd Hashim PaiJanuary
In January last year, the federal government had on principle agreed to return the ownership of SESB to the state government within two years as part of measures to optimise the financial and technical aspects of the utility company. — Bernama
