Melaka Urges Utility Companies To Have Complete SOPs, Strict Checks To Deter Untoward Incidents

MELAKA, Aug 19 (Bernama) -- The Melaka government has urged all utlity companies in the state to have complete standard operating procedures (SOP) and strict, consistent checks to prevent any untoward incidents.

Its chief minister, Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh said any incident carried potentially huge risks that could threaten safety, interrupt business operations and affect power supply to the public.

"Melaka is a state that is part of the Peninsular Gas Utilisation (PGU) grid and has the Sungai Udang Regasification Terminal that channels consistent and safe gas supply, not only for the state, but also the northern region and west coast of Peninsular Malaysia.

"We cannot turn a blind eye to risks and threats that exist if safety aspects are neglected and we don’t want an incident like the gas pipeline explosion in Putra Heights, Selangor to happen,” he said when officiating the close of the state level Safety Forum: Public Awareness on Utility Facilities here today, which was attended by utility agencies such as Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), Petronas Gas Berhad and Gas Malaysia Distribution Sdn Bhd.

The Putra Heights explosion served as an eye-opening lesson that utility facilities were not merely infrastructure, but critical assets that could bring huge risks if not controlled well.

As such, the state government has asked the Melaka-level National Security Council to hold engagement sessions with all utility companies and ensure safety advocacy reaches the grassroots level, Ab Rauf said.

In a related development, he said that based on TNB records, there were 193 cases of electric meter  tampering in Melaka this year compared to 521 cases last year, and seven cases of infrastructure trespass and  theft this year compared to three last year.

-- BERNAMA