PRESS RELEASE

DATE: 25 AUGUST 2011 (THURSDAY)

AWER Urges TNB to Reveal the SOP for Meter Tampering and Back Calculating Methods

Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) has released press statement informing that there is ‘Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)’ and a ‘formula’ for back calculating tampered meter cases. TNB also mentioned that it ‘adhere to process and procedure’ set by the SOP.

This is good news for all. Therefore, TNB should upload these documents for public knowledge within the next 1 to 2 days on their web portal immediately. This will allow public to read and understand their rights as well as they can also deploy the same back calculating formula to verify the charges that was issued by TNB to the ‘wrong doers’ all these years. This is one of the CORRECT Dispute Resolution Mechanism for any consumer protection.

Benefits of TNB uploading the SOP and back calculating method for public view are:

(i)              Will eliminate miscommunication

(ii)           Will allow consumers to know steps taken to test and verify meter tampering

(iii)        Will allow all consumers that are being accused of stealing electricity via meter tampering to calculate using the same method to have a verification process

(iv)         will also uphold transparency and credibility of all parties as well as uphold the principles of consumer protection outlined in Consumer Protection Act 1999

Besides this, based on the statistics given by TNB in their statement, 15 out of 19 cases are genuine electricity theft cases, which mean there is close to 20% error margin in the SOP that TNB is practicing. Every consumer has the right to know what they are paying for and why they are accused of any wrong doing.

We urge TNB to reveal the SOP to clear many miscommunications that are on the rise.

PIARAPAKARAN S., President, Association of Water and Energy Research Malaysia (AWER)