(Front row, from left) SMG representative Wong Yi Wen, Johor TNB staff, SMG Brand Studio assistant general manager Daniel Teh (fifth from left), TNB Johor retail head Mohamad Saikon, and SMK Bandar Kota Tinggi principal Farzeli Che Mat Mustafa together with the teachers from SMK Bandar Kota Tinggi at the launch of the ‘Powering The Future’ school engagement series Johor edition at SMK Bandar Kota Tinggi. — THOMAS YONG/The Star
TENAGA Nasional Bhd (TNB) is reaching out to students in Johor with its “Powering The Future” school engagement series, in collaboration with Star Media Group Bhd (SMG).
TNB Johor retail head Mohamad Saikon said four states have been involved in the second iteration of the “Powering The Future” series so far, including Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Melaka and Perak.
“It started with 890 students from 10 primary and secondary schools in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, which took part in the ‘Powering The Future’ series in 2023,’’ he said.
Mohamad added that the main objective of the programme was to create energy efficiency awareness among youngsters.
He said this in his speech during the “Powering The Future” school engagement series Johor edition launch held at SMK Bandar Kota Tinggi on Sept 11.
Also present at the event were SMG Brand Studio assistant general manager Daniel Teh and SMK Bandar Kota Tinggi principal Farzeli Che Mat Mustafa.
Located about 45.8km from Johor Baru, the secondary school in the Kota Tinggi district with some 80 students was chosen as the first school in Johor for the series. A total of eight schools were selected in the state. This year, the series involves 60 schools in six states, namely Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Melaka, Perak, Johor and Penang.
Students from SK Kota Masai were delighted to walk away with goodie bags and useful tips on energy efficiency.
Mohamad said the programme was extended to more schools this year, following encouraging feedback from students and teachers.
He said TNB, together with SMG, hopes to reach out to more students by increasing the number of states from three (last year) to six this year.
The schools involved in the series will hold workshops for their students from May until October.
Mohamad said the approach in conducting the series is meant to be fun, interactive and relaxed, so participants can develop a better understanding of their role in maintaining a sustainable environment.
He said the programme’s activities were specially tailored with the aim of sharing knowledge about electricity, the importance of transitioning towards renewable energy sources and effective ways of saving electricity.“We hope that students can appreciate the sharing and take advantage of the importance of using electricity efficiently in their daily lives,’’ added Mohamad.
He said their role in energy efficiency awareness should not stop after the programme, as they should share knowledge about electricity management and usage with other family members and friends.
A total of 80 Form Four students from SMK Bandar Kota Tinggi participated in the activities during the launch. — THOMAS YONG/The Star
Mohamad said the company believes youth have a big role in influencing their friends and family about the importance of energy saving, whether at home or at school.
“Every small step taken can make a big difference. We want Malaysians to become wise users of electricity and safety,’’ he said.
Mohamad pointed out that using energy efficiently can save more electricity bills and preserve the environment for future generations.
He reminded the students that electricity was not something they should take for granted, even though it is easily and readily available in the country.
Some 80 Form Four students from SMK Bandar Kota Tinggi who took part in the activities were divided into 10 groups with eight students in each group.On hand to guide the students were facilitators from Make A Difference (MAD), as participants were taught how to utilise electricity safely and reduce their electricity bills.
At the end of the session, three groups were selected as winners based on their efforts in reducing household electricity usage, which translated into paying less for their monthly bills.
Empowering voices for tomorrow
SMK Bandar Kota Tinggi student Muhammad Nabil Qusyairi Abd Kadir said he was fortunate to have been selected to attend the programme which he described as educational.
“Most of us have gained good knowledge and understanding on how electricity was produced, which we never really paid much attention to before.”
Muhammad Nabil said he learnt that electricity could also be generated from renewable energy such as solar, wind and water, apart from the traditionally used fossil fuels and gas.
“Hopefully, Malaysia can produce more renewable energy in the future as fossil fuels such as petroleum, natural gas and coal deposits are slowly depleting worldwide,’’ he said.
Another student, Nur Haifa Ilyana Omar, hopes TNB and SMG could organise such programmes not only at schools but also at premises such as shopping complexes.
SK Infant Jesus students happily participating in the interactive activities.
“The move could reach out to more people and create better awareness and understanding on energy saving,’’ she said.
Nur Haifa Ilyana explained that the programme also taught her some useful tips about certain electrical appliances that consume high amounts of electricity, such as air conditioners and water heaters.
She even gave a thumbs-up to the MAD facilitators for their excellent job in explaining to the students, in simple terms, how to use electricity efficiently and safely.
Adriana Yasmeen Fadhullah said she would share with her friends and family members on how to safe electric usage in their daily life.
She said, for instance, instead of choosing conventional electrical appliances, consumers should opt for energy-saving electrical products which are widely available in the market.
“Each of us has a role to play to protect the environment including reducing electrical consumption to make the world a better place for all,’’ she said.
“‘Powering The Future’ is good for students to gain knowledge on how to use electricity efficiently and I hope more schools in Johor could take part in the programme in the near future,’’ she said.
The “Powering The Future” series is part of the Malaysia Energy Literacy Programme, a joint government initiative.
It was created to help school children understand the importance of energy transition to renewable energy while fostering lifelong energy-efficient habits.Apart from SMK Bandar Kota Tinggi, other schools that also participated in the “Powering The Future” series in Johor included SK Taman Sri Pulai, SK Kota Masai 1, SK Infant Jesus Convent, SMK Sultan Ismail, SMK Kota Masai 2, SMK Taman Damansara Aliff and SMK Bukit Batu.
