Kpg Pitas Laut now supplied with 24-hour electricity thanks to solar energy system

KOTA KINABALU (Feb 3): Residents of Kampung Pitas Laut in Kinabatangan are now enjoying round-the-clock electricity after the completion of a community-based solar energy project.

The indigenous Suluk fishing community recently completed the installation of a 39.2 kWh solar energy system.

The initiative also included the construction of a 200-metre steel pedestrian bridge, improving access for a women-led group involved in turtle conservation along the coastline.

Located within the Lower Kinabatangan–Segama Wetlands, Kampung Pitas Laut is accessible only by boat and highly dependent on tidal conditions.

The village is home to about 150 residents across some 20 households, with most families relying on small-scale fishing and marine harvesting for their livelihoods.

Prior to the project, electricity was supplied through shared diesel generators that operated only a few hours each night.

Diesel fuel had to be transported by boat, making it expensive and often difficult to obtain.

“I used to spend more than RM700 a month just to buy diesel for our generator. Now we have electricity day and night, and we don’t have to worry about fuel anymore,” said a villager identified as Muhar.

The project was implemented under the Sabah Renewable Energy Rural Electrification (SabahRE2) Roadmap, which promotes renewable energy solutions for off-grid and rural communities across the state.

Installation of the solar system was carried out by Tonibung, an indigenous-led organisation based in Sabah, in collaboration with Green Empowerment and Forever Sabah.

The solar mini-grid is owned and managed by the community, with tariff collection handled locally to cover operation, maintenance and future upgrades.

The system was designed with excess capacity, allowing the community to support small-scale economic activities such as ice production, cold storage for fish and food processing, ventures that were previously not possible due to limited power supply.

Funding for the project was provided by Seacology, an international non-profit organisation supporting community-led conservation and livelihood initiatives in island and coastal regions, as well as EKOenergy, a global not-for-profit ecolabel that channels climate funds into renewable energy projects for rural communities.

Beyond electrification, the project places strong emphasis on women’s leadership and environmental protection.

The newly built steel bridge links the village to turtle nesting sites along the coast, making it safer and more accessible for women to conduct night patrols, monitoring and protection activities.

Fauziah Pullah, a representative of the women’s group, said the bridge has significantly improved their conservation work.

“Before this, access to the nesting sites was difficult and sometimes dangerous, especially at night. Now we can monitor the turtles more safely,” she said.

The Lower Kinabatangan–Segama Wetlands is a designated Ramsar Site and one of Sabah’s most important mangrove and marine ecosystems.

With reliable electricity, improved access and conservation infrastructure now in place, the community is exploring eco-tourism opportunities, including guided nature visits and conservation-related activities.

For Tonibung, the Pitas Laut initiative reflects its broader approach to rural electrification in Sabah and Sarawak, which focuses not only on technology but also on community ownership, capacity building and long-term sustainability.

The project began with the fabrication of the solar house in June 2026, followed by solar panel installation in September 2026. The system was fully commissioned and handed over to the community in November 2026, with community-led tariff collection starting the following month.