The government is allocating RM114 million to subsidise electricity surcharge for 81.7 percent of domestic users from July to December this year, said Science, Technology, Climate Change and Environment Minister Yeo Bee Yin.

She said the allocation for the subsidy from the Kumpulan Wang Industri Elektrik (KWIE) would ensure domestic users would not have to pay any increase in electricity tariffs, which would be reviewed every six months.

"So if you look at your house electricity bill, there will be no surcharge, it will be zero, because the government paid it for you. This is from our KWIE fund. We use the fund to cushion our users," she said in response to PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli's comment last week on the increase in electricity tariffs.

Rafizi's claim that the increase in electricity tariffs can kill all the good measures taken by the Pakatan Harapan government to lower the cost of living.

Speaking to reporters after attending a town hall session with energy industry players in Putrajaya today, Yeo said she would explain the details on how the government spent the RM114 million to subsidise domestic users next week.

"We have a RM760 million fund, and the ministry has spent RM114 million. We are left with a choice on whether to use the balance to subsidise for commercial use, or the next round, we can use the funds again to subsidise for domestic use," she added.

On the 1.1 million low voltage commercial users, Yeo said they would face minimal impact from the tariff increase and the impact of surcharge minus the goods and services tax (GST) is less than 70 sen.

"If the mamak stores say that their electricity increased and, therefore, the price of nasi lemak has to increase, do not believe them. You can report the price increase to the Domestic Trade and Consumerism Ministry," she said.

Yeo in her keynote address earlier said it was essential to make renewable energy affordable and accessible in Malaysia so that it could be accessible in most rural areas in Sarawak.

"I have visited several places in Sarawak where they still do not have access to electricity. We still have kids who do not have light at night to read and study, and that is not reasonable. I know that solar power and micro-hydro will be the solution for these kids, and we will bring light to the rural areas," she added.

- Bernama