Sabah’s Failing Power and Water Systems Pose National Security Risk

10 October 2025

SANDAKAN: Sandakan Member of Parliament from the Democratic Action Party (DAP), Vivian Wong Shir Yee, told the Dewan Rakyat (Special Chamber) that delays in developing Sabah’s power and water infrastructure have become a threat to national security. She urged the government to take systematic and immediate action to address the issue.

Vivian said that continuous rainfall on the West Coast recently triggered a series of landslides that claimed 12 lives and forced more than 3,000 residents to evacuate. The landslide in Kolopis, Penampang, toppled high-voltage transmission towers, causing widespread power outages across Sabah’s East Coast and affecting over 1.5 million residents.

“The blackout disrupted operations at military camps, naval bases, airport radar systems, and hospitals, posing a direct risk to national security,” she said.

In response, she called on the government to expedite the implementation of the Southern Grid Link, construct a new 300-megawatt (MW) power plant on Sabah’s East Coast, and develop a long-term energy and water security plan to prevent similar incidents in future.

Deputy Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation, Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir, said that since regulatory power over energy was transferred to the Sabah State Government in 2024, the Federal Government remains committed to providing RM3.54 billion in electricity subsidies until 2030, covering fuel, solar, tariff, and renewable energy support.

He added that the 275kV Southern Link project has been included in the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK-13) under the Rolling Plan, with the Federal Government set to provide development loans to support its implementation and enhance grid stability across the state.

The Deputy Minister said several new energy generation and storage projects are being planned for Sabah’s East Coast, including the first phase of a solar project with a capacity of 86MW expected to be completed in 2026, bringing the total to 127MW. The second phase, with a capacity of up to 250MW, is scheduled for tender in 2025. A 200MW/400MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) is expected to begin operations in 2027, followed by a 160MW floating LNG power plant in 2028. A 141MW hydropower plant in Lahad Datu is projected to commence operations in 2031, while a 100MW geothermal project in Tawau is planned for tender in 2026.

At the same time, both Federal and State Governments are collaborating on a long-term strategy to strengthen Sabah’s energy security. This includes accelerating natural gas exploration on the East Coast through Petronas projects to supply affordable fuel for future power generation, conducting feasibility studies on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) as a medium- to long-term energy alternative, and strengthening cross-border grid connections through cooperation between Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB), the ASEAN Centre of Energy (ACE), and Indonesia’s PLN. A feasibility study is currently underway to explore grid connectivity between Sabah and North Kalimantan to enhance regional energy resilience.

The Deputy Minister also revealed that the Federal Government has approved RM2.9 billion in loans to help Sabah implement 16 water supply projects, including the construction and upgrading of water treatment plants, water source studies, and the Non-Revenue Water (NRW) Reduction Programme with an allocation of RM87.1 million.

Vivian stressed that both Federal and State Governments must strengthen coordination to ensure that key projects under RMK-13 are implemented without delay, so that Sabahans can enjoy a stable supply of electricity and clean water, and the nation’s security remains safeguarded.