National utility firm Tenaga Nasional Berhad has deflected criticisms of performance after it was found that hundreds of thousands of ringgit had been spent in questionable projects to supply electricity.

Responding to a Malaysiakini report, TNB said it was merely an implementor, responsible for providing electricity supply to areas decided upon by the Rural and Regional Development Ministry.

It said that the selection and approval of all Rural Electricity Supply (BELB) projects are under the purview of the ministry with the budget allocation coming from the Malaysian Electricity Supply Industries Trust Account (MESITA).

"For the project highlighted in your (Malaysiakini) report, TNB merely did its role in ensuring electricity is supplied to the rural area that has been identified by the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development," said TNB's chief operating officer Azman Mohd in a statement issued last night.

NONEHis remarks follow the disclosure in the Auditor-General's Report that a staggering RM770,000 was spent to supply electricity to a single house under the BELB.

According to the project report, electricity supply was intended for 17 houses at a village in Indera Mahkota, Pahang.

But a visit by auditors to the site found only one house in the area.

Only one house built

In its explanation, TNB had said that when the project was approved, the 17 houses were in the process of being built but only one was subsequently completed.

NONEThe auditor-general has also taken the national power utility to task for approving the project, despite the area not fulfilling the criteria required under the BELB project.

"The houses there should have been permanent residences that are occupied and suitable for electrical wiring to be done."

It was further noted in the Audit Report 2010, TNB had approved a RM65,193 project to supply electricity to five abandoned houses at a village in Bera, Pahang.

The AG's Report rated the performance of the BELB project as unsatisfactory, with only 16 of its 37 projects, or 43.2 percent, completed as of last year.


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