Sarawak to continue ALAF project in phases extend electricity supply to underserved communities
KOTA SAMARAHAN (June 28): The Additional or Late Applicant (ALAF) project will continue to be implemented in phases by the Sarawak government as part of its efforts to extend electricity supply to underserved communities, said State Minister for Utility and Telecommunication, Dato Sri Julaihi Narawi.
He said the initiative has received a total allocation of RM315 million for Phases 1 to 4, which are currently being carried out progressively.
'Under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), the Sarawak government has also approved an allocation of RM550 million to continue implementing the ALAF programme in rural areas across the state in phases,' he told a press conference after the handover ceremony for Phase 8 of the Village Street Lighting (LJK) Project at Kampung Merdang Lumut here today.
He explained that the implementation of ALAF is conducted on a rotational basis to ensure equitable distribution, especially for longhouses and villages located in remote and hard-to-reach areas.
'Sarawak is vast, and one of the main challenges lies in its topography, distance, terrain, and various other constraints which require coordination across multiple agencies,' he said.
Julaihi also sought to clarify misconceptions held by certain quarters that Sarawak prioritises electricity exports, particularly to Kalimantan, over the needs of its own rural communities.
'Let us not be misled. Electricity exports to Kalimantan have been ongoing since 2016 and are not provided free of charge. Instead, they are sold at tariffs significantly higher than local rates.
'We support our neighbours, but our own people will always remain the priority. That is why ALAF is still ongoing and will continue to be implemented,' he stressed.
He further disclosed that Sarawak will supply 30 megawatts (MW) of electricity to Sabah through a power exchange agreement, with the potential to increase the supply to 50MW or even 80MW, depending on grid stability.
'In addition, we have approved the allocation of no less than 1,000MW of electricity to Singapore via undersea cable, along with another approved supply allocation to Peninsular Malaysia, also not exceeding 1,000MW,' he added.
He also revealed that there are plans to supply electricity to Brunei in the future. However, he assured that this will not compromise domestic demand.
'At present, Sarawak is capable of generating up to 5.8 gigawatts (GW) of electricity, compared to current demand of approximately 4.8GW. This leaves us with a sufficient energy reserve margin.
'This clearly shows that we have more than enough to meet our local needs. Rural electrification remains a top priority through ALAF,' he said.
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