My EE journey in the government...Energy Commission

It was just a try when I joined Energy Commission in 2004.Ideally I wanted to be in a place where I can start something in EE  straight away but it was not the case. I secured a position in the Legal Department and assigned to become an enforcement officer. Yes, it was totally new thing to me but interesting too.I spend from September 2004 until end of 2007 and learned so much about investigation of criminal cases under Electricity Supply Act 1994 and Electricity Regulations 1994. 

Management Workshop

I managed to complete 15 investigation papers(some charged in courts), conducted many inspections and raids for cases such as power theft, products not complied to the regulations and many more. The best part from all of that I really understand how the legal process took place from the time a complaint or a first information received until the case classified as NO CASE, No Further Action(NFA) and approved to be charged at court by the Attorney General office. Along the way in doing my works in the Legal Department I saw the draft of the Efficient Management of Electrical Energy Regulations being reviewed at my department although I am not involved in it. I was very curious to know too since I know some of the initial contents of the draft way back in 1998 when ST still known as the Department of Electricity Supply and Gas.Throughout my tenure at the legal department, I have never hidden my interest and passion in EE to all my colleagues and bosses.

KPI Review Session

I did tell my Senior Director that I possible, one day I want to apply to be transferred to EE related Department.After I felt had enough experience in enforcement, I started to find my way towards EE works in EC.For almost 3 years in the Legal Department, I managed to keep myself in touch with EE industry.Attended few EE related events such seminar and forum, participated as a member in Malaysia Energy Professional Association and continued my on going communications with some active players in EE industry made me always updated on the EE development outside the government.

  

Suddenly, I felt so devastated when I heard EC wanted to transfer EE works to Malaysia Energy Centre sometime in 2007.Quickly I knew that time, the end has come for me in EC since EE would be no more there.Then I started to look for other job too and went for interviews where finally I secured one. I was about to tender my resignation letter when I was told that EC will continue doing EE.

  

Why? I was not so interested into that because I saw that was another opportunity for me to jump into it.What happened was, the EE department already disbanded and literally there no one there to run EE works since all staff were reassigned to other departments.It did not take me long to cancel my plan to leave and I quickly met the former director of EE department to tell him I wanted to be in. After two weeks I knew that my name was up in EE department and soon after that it was approved by the management although the actual set up for EE still did not certain or finalized.I felt so grateful to Allah with His blessing where finally, my dream came through.

I moved to the new set up for EE in EC sometime in the end of 2007 and started with myself and a clerk.Temporarily, I reported to three superiors until the proper set up to be established. 

The initial scope of works handed over to me covered the followings( as far as I can recall): 

1. Applications for EE&RE incentives;
2. Development and promotion of EE labeling for electrical appliances;
3. Committee member for CDM at KeTTHA;
4. Electricity Summit 2008(getting participants);
5. EE campaign and awareness program planning and implementation;

 ...and all other meetings,discussions,replies,proposals,issues and etc forwarded to EC and as instructed... ...literally the scopes covered all works that used to be performed by one department with a director, two deputy directors, executives and clerks with at least 2-3 units.  

Dinner in 2010

Did I complain? No I did not because I knew it before took the challenge.What really important to me that time was just to have a platform for me to pursue EE agenda in my career and trying to contribute some works to trigger the government to have more concerns about EE for the benefits of the country. 




To be continued...