Malaysia cracks down on illegal bitcoin mining stealing electricity
Malaysian authorities have warned homeowners they could face legal consequences if their tenants steal electricity for illegal bitcoin mining. The alert follows recent inspections where two properties were suspected of tampering with power supplies to run mining operations.
The Deputy Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation, Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad, highlighted the risks and urged the public to report unusual electricity usage patterns. An integrated operation, Ops Steal, was carried out by the Energy Commission and Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) to tackle electricity theft linked to bitcoin mining. Two houses were inspected, with estimated monthly losses of RM34,000 due to unauthorised power use. Both cases are now being investigated under Section 37(3) of the Electricity Supply Act 1990.
Illegal bitcoin mining has spread across residential and commercial properties in Malaysia. The practice often involves dangerous cable modifications, which create serious fire hazards from overloaded circuits. Authorities estimate the country loses around RM700 million each year to such theft.
To avoid liability, homeowners have been advised to transfer TNB accounts into their tenants’ names. The public has also been encouraged to report any suspicious electricity consumption to the authorities immediately. The crackdown aims to reduce financial losses and prevent safety risks caused by illegal bitcoin mining. Homeowners must now ensure proper account management to avoid penalties under the law. Investigations into the two suspected cases remain ongoing.
