PETRA Considers Extending Suria MADANI Programme, Approved Applicants Given Until March 2027 - Fadillah
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 11 (Bernama) -- The Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (PETRA) is assessing the possibility of improving or extending the implementation of the Suria MADANI or SuRIA Home (Sustainable Rebate and Incentive Assistance Home) programme after its implementation period ends on Dec 31, 2026.
Deputy Prime Minister and Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said the government was still considering the need to continue the programme next year.
However, he assured that consumers who had applied and received approval would still be eligible to receive the rebates offered, even if the installation of solar systems in their homes had not been completed after the programme ended.
He said the installation for approved applicants must be completed by March 2027 to enable them to enjoy the rebate.
"Regarding Suria MADANI, we still have a balance of RM90 million. So we will continue,” he said during a question and answer session at the Dewan Rakyat today in reply to a supplementary question from Datuk Mohd Isam Mohd Isa (BN-Tampin) regarding the duration of the Suria MADANI programme after Dec 31, 2026 as well as PETRA's guarantee to solar roof approval recipients who have not completed installation when the programme ends.
Earlier, replying on the latest achievements of the Solar ATAP and SuRIA Home programmes, Fadillah said 24,291 applications under the Solar ATAP programme with a total capacity of 391.85 megawatts (MW) had been approved as of Sept 15, 2026, compared to April 30, 2026 where the approved capacity at that time was only around 135.92MW.
"This means that capacity approvals have increased by almost 190 per cent in a period of 4.5 months," he explained.
The Solar ATAP programme which began on Jan 1, 2026 is implemented openly without specific quotas, allowing domestic, commercial, industrial and other categories of users to install solar systems for their own use.
To improve the affordability of domestic consumers, the government introduced the Suria MADANI programme with an allocation of RM150 million, which offers a rebate of RM600 for each kilowatt (kW), up to a maximum of RM3,000 for the installation of a 5kW solar system.
The programme targets between 45,000 and 50,000 homes, subject to a capacity quota of 250 MW, and is scheduled to end on Dec 31, 2026.
As of Sept 15, 2026, a total of 12,374 domestic consumers have received rebates totalling RM36.2 million.
Apart from direct rebates, Fadillah said consumers also have the option to obtain solar installations through market financing models such as 'solar leasing' or 'rent-to-own', which can reduce the initial capital requirement.
He said PETRA will continue to evaluate the performance of Solar ATAP and SuRIA Home, including installation costs and financing options, to extend the benefits of energy transition to the low-income (B40) and middle-income (M40) groups, taking into account the government's fiscal capacity and the effectiveness of aid distribution.
In a related development, the government is also paying attention to the safety aspects of solar system installation and the risk of price manipulation by unregistered suppliers or installers.
Responding to a supplementary question from Nurul Amin Hamid (PN-Padang Terap) on consumer protection mechanisms, he said solar system installation must be carried out by qualified and registered parties to ensure compliance with safety standards.
He advised consumers to consult PETRA, Tenaga Nasional Bhd or the Energy Commission before seeking installation services to avoid the risks of price manipulation and system quality.
"We really want to encourage this installation to be done by those who are registered because safety features are very important.
"When this solar (system) is installed, the position of the house is safe in terms of compliance with standards and so on," he said.
He told consumers who face problems with unregistered installers to refer to the ministry for investigation.
-- BERNAMA