Kuala lumpur: Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) has launched an Electrical Safety Campaign targeting oil palm smallholders, paddy farmers, and the public to address the risk of accidents caused by electric shocks in rural areas. Deputy Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (PETRA) Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir said the initiative aims to raise awareness and understanding of safe practices when working near power lines.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, 84 cases, or 81 percent, of electrical accidents involving the public and livestock between 2021 and April 2025 were linked to TNB infrastructure. Many incidents were caused by activities near the lines, such as harvesting oil palm fruit using long poles. TNB power lines often run through plantations or smallholdings. While this normally poses no issue, risks arise when planters and farmers are not careful while crossing under the lines to move from one area to another.
Akmal Nasrullah mentioned that the campaign will be extended to every state to ensure target groups fully understand the risks of TNB power lines, thereby reducing future accidents. Present at the campaign launch at Dewan Felcra Nasaruddin Belia, Bota, Perak, were Felcra Bhd Perak state director M. Zaiful Anuar Zulkifli, Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) Smallholders Development and Certification Division director Dr. Mohd Hefni Rusly, TNB chief regulatory and stakeholder management officer Datuk Shamsul Ahmad, TNB chief sustainability officer Leo Pui Yong, and Energy Commission strategic planning and communications director Rumaizi Abdul Halim.
Akmal Nasrullah further explained that the Malaysia Energy Literacy Programme (MELP), initiated by TNB before being adopted by his ministry, serves as a central reference for various aspects of energy literacy such as energy efficiency, electrical safety, energy transition, and tariff understanding. He noted that Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, in his capacity as PETRA minister, launched the MELP website at a monthly ministry gathering, expressing hope that the site will encourage informed decision-making by compiling energy-related initiatives.
Meanwhile, oil palm settler Mohd Yusof Mat Hussain, 64, shared that his understanding of the risks associated with power lines had previously been limited, but the campaign had significantly improved his knowledge. He urged fellow planters to attend such programmes to learn about electrical hazards and prevent accidents.
A tractor supervisor with the Perak Farmers’ Organisation, Mohamad Azmirul Hakimi Azmi, 20, emphasized the need for farmers to be constantly reminded to exercise caution near power lines. He explained that they avoid passing directly under substations and stop ploughing during rainy weather due to the dangers involved.