

BY: Zaki Salleh
IPOH: Illegal electricity connections by tenants involved in Bitcoin mining have left more than 60 homeowners facing claims amounting to millions of ringgit from Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB).
This serious crime has victimized homeowners, who now bear the brunt of their tenants’ irresponsible actions.
Gopeng Member of Parliament, Tan Kar Hing, revealed that his office and the Gopeng state assembly representatives have so far received reports of 30 such cases.
“In addition, 30 new cases have been identified, which still require further information for appropriate action,” he said.
“These cases are increasingly alarming and demand urgent attention from the ministry, as the claims range between RM30,000 and RM1.2 million.
“Under the Electricity Supply Act, TNB’s action is based on revenue losses due to tampered meters. However, current laws do not require TNB to prove that the registered user was the person responsible for the tampering,” he explained during a press conference attended by Simpang Pulai Assemblywoman Wong Chai Yi and Astaka Assemblyman Jason Ng.
Illegal electricity connections not only pose risks of power disruptions in affected areas but also result in electricity losses for TNB.
In light of this, Tan urged the Energy Commission under the Ministry of Energy Transition and Natural Resources, as well as other relevant authorities, to take stern action against illegal bitcoin activities to curb this widespread crime.
He also called for amendments to the Electricity Supply Act to better protect the rights of account holders and users in such cases.