Power Disruption After Tariff Revision Totally Unacceptable

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I WRITE as a frustrated resident of Kepong to express my utter disbelief at the massive power outage that hit the Klang Valley and several other states on Wednesday.
This was not a routine 5- or 10-minute disruption—it lasted hours, paralysing homes, hospitals and businesses across the region.
How can such a major breakdown occur in 2025, when Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) has just revised electricity tariffs upward, supposedly to fund better reliability and infrastructure? If we are paying more, shouldn’t the quality of service improve, not deteriorate?
This blackout was no minor glitch. It was a systemic failure that cut across multiple states, including the Klang Valley, Johor and Melaka.
For many, the disruption stretched for several hours until power was gradually restored by late evening. The consequences were not merely inconvenient—they were dangerous.
Some patients who rely on oxygen machines or other life-supporting medical devices at home were left helpless. For them, a prolonged outage is not just uncomfortable but potentially life-threatening.
Adding insult to injury, even reaching TNB for assistance became an ordeal. The 15454 hotline and online support channels were reportedly inaccessible for long stretches, presumably because thousands of people were trying to get through at the same time.
For a company of TNB’s size and resources, this is inexcusable. If the system cannot handle surges in customer queries during emergencies, what does that say about its preparedness?
This failure is even harder to stomach when one looks at TNB’s own numbers. In its financial year 2024, TNB reported revenue of RM65.8 bil, up 3.4% from the previous year.
Its net income surged to RM4.7 bil, a staggering 70% increase, pushing its profit margin to 7.1% compared to 4.4% in 2023.
Clearly, profitability is not the issue—so why aren’t we seeing corresponding investments in grid resilience, backup systems and customer support infrastructure?
Meanwhile, the economic impact of yesterday’s outage cannot be understated. The affected areas included major commercial and industrial zones.
Businesses suffered productivity losses, food outlets had to discard stock, and retailers lost sales during peak hours. Small traders, especially those already struggling with high costs, will bear the brunt.
TNB has long penalised consumers for late bill payments, yet when it fails to meet its own service obligations, we are expected to simply accept an apology.
Where is the accountability? Why isn’t there a mechanism for rebates or compensation when service levels fall below acceptable standards?
This blackout should be a wake-up call. Malaysians are paying more than ever for electricity, and it is only fair to demand reliability in return.
Until TNB demonstrates genuine accountability, public trust will remain as dark as the streets during power disruptions at night. 
Muhammad Aslam Muhammad Jusoh
Kepong
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of  MMKtT.
- Focus Malaysia

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