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Cryptocurrency mining alleged power theft, fire culprit

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The cryptocurrency mining centre at Kota Samarahan where the fire took place.

KUCHING: Rented premises were caught on fire as a result of wire tampering to bypass electricity meter at Jalan Datuk Musa, Kota Samarahan.

According to Sarawak Energy, it received an alert when the firefighters requested the electricity provider to perform an emergency shutdown to put out the fire safely.

“After the fire was extinguished, the team found 108 units of destroyed cryptocurrency mining servers at the premises.

“Onsite inspections also revealed that the wiring system had been tampered with, and direct tapping cables were connected to the premises.

“The direct tapping cables were seized as evidence of electricity theft,” it said in a statement yesterday.

The cause of fire is still under investigation by the Malaysia Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) Sarawak.

However, it was believed that the unsafe wiring and electrical system overload caused the fire.

Sarawak Energy has lodged a police report. The owner revealed that the premises are currently rented to a tenant through a real estate agent.

The company also estimated to have incurred monthly losses of approximately RM30,800 from this incidence of power theft.

Landlords are advised to conduct background checks on potential tenants, as well as to be mindful and alert of their activities to avoid being implicated in electricity theft.

Non-standard installations commonly used in electricity theft for such energy-intensive activities can easily overload the electrical system capacity, increasing the risk of short circuits, appliance damage, fires and even cause loss of lives.

Electricity theft is a criminal offence under Section 33(5) of the Electricity Ordinance, which carries a penalty of up to RM100,000 and/or five years of jail if found guilty.

Members of the public are reminded not to trust service providers claiming to be able to reduce electricity use or allow premises owners to enjoy unlimited usage of electricity through meter tampering.

If there are any suspicious activities related to electricity theft and service providers claiming to be able to reduce electricity use, the related party can contact Sarawak Energy’s Customer Care Centre at 1300-88-3111 or email at customercare@sarawakenergy.com.

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