Claims excessive fees charged for generator registration in Sabah not accurate, says consumer group chairman

KOTA KINABALU: Recent viral claims suggesting that the Electrical Certification System (ECoS) imposes excessive fees for generator registration are not accurate, says National Consumer Foundation Malaysia (Sabah Chapter) chairman David Chan.

“These allegations have caused unnecessary panic among the public, but after an internal review and direct clarification with ECoS, we can confirm that the claims are untrue,” Chan said in a statement on Wednesday (May 14).

Chan’s statement came in response to Parti Warisan’s Tanjung Aru assemblyman Datuk Junz Wong, who claimed that the Sabah GRS-PH government was burdening businesses and households with unnecessary generator registration fees, instead of focusing on fixing the state’s power issues.

In his social media post, Wong listed alleged costs, including a RM2,000 licence application fee, RM2,000 to RM6,500 for drawing submission, RM2,500 to RM10,000 for G and H forms, and RM500 to RM1,000 for annual licence renewals, questioning why these fees were being imposed during challenging economic times.

However, Chan clarified that ECoS does not charge the widely circulated RM2,000 licence application fee.

He said if such fees were paid, they were likely for third-party services, often referred to as ‘runners’.

“Consumers can apply directly through the official ECoS website without any charges,” he added.

He said the RM2,000 to RM6,500 completion of drawing submission fees are typically charged by consultants for professional verification, ensuring the correct and safe installation of equipment.

“For existing generator sets, owners should already have the initial installation diagrams, but they can still consult ECoS directly if they need to resolve any issues related to these assets,” Chan said.

He also clarified that fees for G and H forms, reportedly ranging from RM2,500 to RM10,000, are contractor fees, not ECoS charges.

“The G Form covers the Certificate of Completion, while the H Form covers the Certificate of Testing. These should have been provided during the original installation, and owners can liaise directly with ECoS for any concerns,” he said.

According to Chan, the only fee charged by ECoS is the annual licence renewal fee, which ranges from RM500 to RM1,000, depending on the asset size.

This rate remains unchanged from the previous rates set by the Energy Commission (ST) Malaysia.

“ECoS further clarified that these regulations are primarily in place to ensure the safety of asset owners and the public, as they require all installations to be carried out by competent personnel and qualified companies,” he said.

“We urge the public to verify facts before sharing information on social media to avoid causing unnecessary alarm,” Chan added.