Energy

Rural Malaysians in the Peninsula may still have considerable access to electricity but the same cannot be said of their counterparts in Sabah and Sarawak which have been deprived of this all these years.

Electricity in Malaysia is mainly provided through the grid, and the Peninsular area is well connected to the grid. While almost all households in rural Peninsular Malaysia have access to electricity, there is limited access to the grid in the remote and mountainous terrains in Sabah and Sarawak. Villagers in the rural parts of Sabah and Sarawak have to rely on diesel generator sets and micro-hydropower systems instead, with many families able to only have the generators switched on for a few hours at night, when necessary.

Impian Sabah & Sarawak have initiated four projects to help ease the burden of the communities that had no access to electricity. Among these projects are solar lamps installed along the walkway of a jetty along a river that connects seven longhouses in Kampung Tutus, Sarawak to ensure the safety of the villagers who use the walkway after dark, solar lamps for the the villagers in Pakan and Sg. Maradong, Sarawak and a collaboration with a fellow NGO for a micro-hydro project in Papar, Sabah.

A basic amenity that many of us in urban areas take for granted, these projects have made it possible for the school-going children to study at night and decreased household accidents that occur when sight is hindered in the dark.