CULTIVATION OF ENERGY AWARENESS MINDS | The Star

TENAGA Nasional Bhd (TNB) is reaching out to students in Johor through its educational series “Powering The Future” in partnership with Star Media Group Bhd (SMG).

TNB Johor retail division head Mohamad Saikon said the second instalment of the ‘Powering The Future’ series has so far seen the participation of four states including Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Melaka and Perak.

“It all started with 890 students from 10 primary and secondary schools across Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya who participated in the 2023 Powering The Future cycle,” he said.

Mohamad added that the main objective of the programme is to increase awareness among youth about energy efficiency.

He said this in his speech at the launch of the “Powering The Future” school initiative series for Johor held at SMK Bandar Kota Tinggi on September 11.

Also present at the event were SMG Brand Studio Deputy General Manager Daniel Teh and SMK Bandar Kota Tinggi Director Farzeli Che Mat Mustafa.

Located about 45.8 km from Johor Baru, Kota Tinggi District Secondary School, which has about 80 students, was selected as the first school in Johor for the series. A total of eight schools in the state were selected. This year, the series includes 60 schools in six states, namely Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Melaka, Perak, Johor and Penang.

Students from SK Kota Masai were delighted to receive gift packages and useful tips on energy efficiency.

Mohamad said the programme was expanded to more schools this year after receiving positive feedback from students and teachers.

He added that 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.

Schools participating in the series will organise workshops for their students from May to October.

Mohamad said the series of classes is designed to be conducted in a fun, interactive and relaxing manner so that participants can better understand their role in maintaining a sustainable environment.

He added that the program activities were specifically designed to share knowledge about electricity, the importance of switching to renewable energy sources and effective ways to save electricity. “We hope that students will appreciate the knowledge sharing and benefit from the fact that it is important to use electricity efficiently in their daily lives,” Mohamad added.

He said their role in raising awareness about energy efficiency should not end after the programme, as they should share their knowledge about energy management and consumption with other family members and friends.

A total of 80 fourth-grade students from SMK Bandar Kota Tinggi took part in the inauguration activities. — THOMAS YONG/The Star

Mohamad said the company believes young people play a big role in convincing their friends and family about the need to save energy, both at home and at school.

“Every small step can make a big difference. We want Malaysians to become smart users of electricity and safety,” he said.

Mohamad noted that efficient use of energy saves money on electricity bills and protects the environment for future generations.

He reminded the students that electricity is not something that can be taken for granted even though it is readily available in the country.

The classes were attended by about 80 fourth-grade students from SMK Bandar Kota Tinggi School, who were divided into 10 groups of eight students each. The students were led by coordinators from Make A Difference (MAD), who taught the participants how to use electricity safely and reduce their electricity bills.

At the end of the session, three winning groups were selected and recognized for their activities aimed at reducing electricity consumption in households, which translated into lower monthly bills.

Amplifying Voices for Tomorrow

SMK Bandar Kota Tinggi student Muhammad Nabil Qusyairi Abd Kadir said he was fortunate to be chosen to participate in the programme, which he described as educational.

“Most of us have gained a good knowledge and understanding of how electricity is generated, something we never paid much attention to before.”

Muhammad Nabil said he learned that in addition to the traditional fossil fuels and gas, electricity can also be generated from renewable sources such as solar, wind and hydropower.

“We hope that Malaysia will be able to produce more renewable energy in the future as fossil fuel reserves such as oil, natural gas and coal are slowly depleting around the world,” he added.

Another student, Nur Haifa Ilyana Omar, hopes that TNB and SMG will be able to organize such programs not only in schools but also in places such as shopping malls.

Students of SK Infant Jesus school enjoy participating in interactive activities.

“Thanks to this action, we can reach more people, increase awareness and understanding of energy saving,” she added.

Nur Haifa Ilyana explained that the program also taught her some useful tips regarding certain electrical appliances, such as air conditioners and water heaters, which consume large amounts of electricity.

She even praised the MAD instructors for their excellent job of explaining to students in simple terms how to use electricity efficiently and safely.

Adriana Yasmeen Fadhullah said she would like to share knowledge about the safe use of electricity in everyday life with her friends and family members.

She added that, for example, instead of choosing conventional electrical appliances, consumers should opt for energy-saving electrical products that are widely available in the market.

“We all have a role to play in protecting the environment, including reducing our electricity consumption, to make the world a better place for all,” she added.

“The ‘Powering The Future’ programme is good for students as it helps them gain knowledge on how to use electricity efficiently. I hope more schools in Johor will take part in this programme in the near future,” she said.

The Powering The Future series is part of the Malaysian Energy Education Programme, a joint government initiative.

It was created to help students understand the importance of switching to renewable energy while building lifelong energy-saving habits. In addition to SMK Bandar Kota Tinggi, other schools participating in the Powering The Future series in Johor include 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.