Although a cabinet minister himself, Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin has slammed the decision to increase the electricity tariff from next year, as something to "pad up" Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) profits.

NONEKhairy, elaborating in his policy speech at the Umno Youth general assembly today, said the rise is not proportionate to that of the fuel costs borne by the power supply company.

"I am bound by the cabinet decision but, as (Umno) Youth chief, I felt the need to raise it (displeasure over the tariff hike). I also raised it in cabinet,” he said.

"We understand the part about rising cost of fuels but TNB's profits are high.”

He noted that TNB had justified the hike on the need to invest in technology and offset diminishing returns on its investments.

"But for me and the rakyat, this is not good enough," he told reporters on the sidelines of the assembly at the Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur.

Echoing this, Federal Territory Wanita Umno delegate Azizan Shariff argued that it would be unwise of Tenaga to push up the electricity tariff after having made profits amounting to billions of ringgit last year.

She also urged all utility supply companies to give consumers a rebate instead of raising the price of services.

She said the deposits paid to TNB, Telekom Malaysia and water concessionaire Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd are being used by the firms to expand their operations.

'KL property tax too high'

NONEAzizan, from the Lembah Pantai division, also raised the revision of assessment charges on properties in Kuala Lumpur, saying the proposed rate is too high.

She said the increase should not exceed 50 percent and that the review should take into account the “type of house” involved.

She also reminded the authorities that the relocation of squatters in Kuala Lumpur had caused Umno and the BN to lose votes as those affected had to move elsewhere in light of the shortage of affordable housing.

As such, she urged that additional units of affordable housing be built.


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