MANIFESTASI SUATU TENAGA BARU: PERANAN KERAJAAN DALAM MEMBANGUNKAN KEMUDAHAN BEKALAN ELEKTRIK
Abstract: An interesting
development in the history of the Federated Malay States (FMS) concerns the production and
supply of electricity
power. It was
widely considered as
a new source
of energy to meet
the electrical needs
of both economic sectors
and the general
public. The supply of electrical
utility in the federation commenced at the end of the 19th century, but its significant growth only
really began with the involvement of government and, to some extent, private
companies. This article, thus, discusses the development of electric supply
facility in the FMS, up
to the year
1941, so as
to evaluate the
extent to which
the government had played influential roles in that regard.
By perusing a wide range of primary sources such as the Colonial
Office Records (C.Os.
273, 576 and
716, particularly), state
government files and annual
reports, there are
substantial evidences to
suggest that both
entities – private companies and the government – did
play vital roles in providing electric supply to a variety of customers
in the polity.
Private agencies attempted
and managed to
build power plants mainly to facilitate mining activities
in certain areas. The government, on the other hand,also had major electric
manufactories constructed. But it quickly gained commanding voice in the industry
with the formulation of electricity legislatures and importantly, the
establishment of the Electrical Department.
This department had enabled
a much wider
and more comprehensive electricity
supply, unlike private
agencies which were
only able to
cover limited areas. All
of these clearly
show the more
prominent roles of
the government in matters relating to the supply of
electricity in the FMS.
Penulis: Mohamad Khairul Anuar
Bin Mohd Rosli, Ahmad Kamal Ariffin Bin Mohd Rus
Kode Jurnal: jpsejarah&umumdd150170
