PPM Likas office without electricity and without development funds

KOTA KINABALU - The electricity supply to the Likas Community Development Leader Unit (UPPM) office in Wisma Kosan Likas has been disconnected for more than 20 days due to several months of outstanding Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) bills which the government had yet to settle.

Likas Community Development Leader (PPM) Datuk Chin Shu Ying said his staff had been working in darkness since November 22 when the electricity supply was disconnected.

The outstanding electricity bill for the Likas UPPM office stood at RM1,154.65 as of October 31, which Shu Ying estimated was at least eight months overdue as the average bill of his office was approximately RM100 each month.

Shu Ying, who is also the vice president of Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), said this was not the first time that his UPPM office suffered from electricity supply disconnection. He said he had previously settled over RM2,000 in outstanding electricity bills last year when he took over as the Likas PPM, and had yet to be reimbursed.

Furthermore, he said, the government appear to have trouble paying the UPPM staff salaries and office rental promptly. That aside, Shu Ying said he has not received the development fund for Likas this year.

“As a result, we are not able to help when schools, associations or people come to us for assistance,” he said, when met at the Likas UPPM service counter at Wisma Kosan Likas here yesterday.

He said each state constituency received RM1 million development fund annually that was channeled to the PPM’s office.

Despite the challenges, Shu Ying said, Likas UPPM has continued to serve the people through its service counter at Wisma Kosan Likas, available every second Sunday of the month. He said the operating hours of the service counter would be amended from the present 7.30 am-10.30 am to 7 am-10 am next year.

The service counter offers free blood sugar and blood pressure tests and also accepts public complaints and provides voter registration service.

“Today, we have engaged the Election Commission (EC) in our service to enable voters to change their registered address, while the LDP Gen-Y members also helped 1Malaysia People’s Aid (BR1M) applications to update their information. We serve over 100 people every month.”

Adding on, LDP deputy president, Senator Datuk Chin Su Phin, pointed out that it was ludicrous that the government could not even pay the electricity bill of a UPPM office at only around RM100 per month. - BP