‘Not more than 30 sen for drinking water at eateries’
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12 APR 2021 / 10:42 H
PETALING JAYA: Ideally, water should be served free of charge at eateries. However, if an eatery chooses to bill a customer for a glass of water, it should not be more than 30 sen.
That is the consensus reached between consumer groups and an association of restaurant operators.
They were commenting on a recent announcement that the government is cracking down on high-end restaurants, fast food outlets, franchises and eateries, as well as stalls across the country, that charge RM1 or more for a glass of water.
Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Datuk Rosol Wahid said notices have been issued to 84 food and beverage outlet operators.
As of yesterday, Kelantan accounted for 14 of the offenders, the highest in the country.
The other states where overcharging for water have also been recorded are Selangor (12), Sabah (eight), Sarawak (eight), Johor (eight), Pahang (seven), Terengganu (six), Kuala Lumpur (five), Malacca (four), Labuan (three), Penang (three), Perlis (two), Perak (two) and Negri Sembilan (two).
Rosol said the notices, issued through Ops Catut 8.0 (Plain Water) that started last Wednesday, was in response to complaints from the public.
Read more: ‘Not more than 30 sen for drinking water at eateries’
LETTER | Has the MyCC protected consumer interests?
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9 April 2021
LETTER | According to the Competition Act 2010, the goal of the law is to “promote economic development by promoting and protecting the process of competition”. The act also specifically states that by doing so it aims to protect the interests of the consumer.
Has the Competition Act in fact protected the interests of consumers?
The biggest impact on the cost of living for consumers is the increasing price of food. Fomca had strongly advocated for a market review on the food supply chain to ascertain if the high price of foods was due to market manipulation.
In August 2019, the Malaysia Competition Commission (MyCC) published and released the Market Review on the food sector. The report had confirmed that one of the key reasons for high food prices was price distortions and manipulations in the food supply chain.
For example, according to the report, the price of ikan kembong has increased by six times between the price received by the fisherman and the price paid by the consumer. Another example of substantial price increase is the price of cabbage; price at the farm is RM1.60 while the consumer pays a retail price of RM3.90, an increase of 143 percent.
Another example of price manipulation was the fish supply chain. Middle men are known to hoard fish when prices are low, thus restricting supplies and forcing the prices of fish to increase. There was also opaqueness in price determination along the supply chain.
MyCC in its report had identified multiple causes of the exorbitant food price in the market. The reasons include market manipulation by middlemen, multiple intermediaries and manipulation of approved permits causing unreasonable increase in food prices.
Read more: LETTER | Has the MyCC protected consumer interests?
Bukit Aman: Online jewellery scams on the rise
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9 April 2021
KUALA LUMPUR: The number of online jewellery scam cases have risen, with 37 cases involving losses amounting to RM239,530 recorded in the first three months this year.
Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) director Datuk Zainuddin Yaacob said the scam cases recorded in the period was the highest in the past two years.
He said throughout 2019, 21 cases were reported involving losses of RM148,444 and the total rose in the subsequent year (2020) to 44 cases involving RM261,954.
"The development of communication and technology have created online business opportunities, with unlimited access and connectivity, especially when the country is facing the Covid-19 pandemic.
"Therefore, it has become the platform of choice for consumers, but at the same time, it has brought about scams involving the sale of non-existent items," he said in a statement today.
Zainuddin said his department has implemented various measures to ensure that the efforts to curb these activities are effective.
"Yet from the prevention aspect, the involvement of the public is much needed and I urge consumers to be careful in all online jewellery transactions.
The public is reminded not to believe any offer of jewellery that is below market price especially when they're made by individuals you cannot verify," he said.
Fomca calls for medical tribunal, but experts say ‘it’s not so easy’
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April 9, 2021 8:40 AM
GEORGE TOWN: A consumer group has urged the government to set up a medical tribunal to handle complaints of negligence and other matters related to services provided by healthcare providers.
The Federation of Malaysian Consumers Association (Fomca) said such a tribunal would allow those unable to afford lawyers to seek redress for their complaints.
Its president, Marimuthu Nadason, said the National Consumer Complaints Centre run by Fomca receives a number of complaints, but they cannot be addressed as they involve issues that require input from specialists or the hospitals themselves.
“We usually help those with medical-related consumer issues by writing to the health ministry or the healthcare provider concerned,” he told FMT.
“Most of the complainants feel they have been cheated or unfairly treated, so a medical tribunal would be the best avenue for them to seek redress.”
He said the tribunal could be placed under the auspices of the health ministry, and those failing to have their complaints resolved may take their cases to court.
“It also reduces the burden on the court system, with cases taking many years to be settled,” he said.
Marimuthu said the existing consumer tribunal will not be able to cover huge medical claims, so the proposed tribunal should have a ceiling of at least RM3 million.
Easier said than done, say lawyers
Read more: Fomca calls for medical tribunal, but experts say ‘it’s not so easy’
Woman claims bank unfairly auctioned off home, wants BNM to intervene
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8 April 2021
A low-income family has urged Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) to intervene after claiming their bank unfairly auctioned off their home during the Covid-19 pandemic. Speaking to the media today after meeting an officer from the central bank, 38-year-old tailor M Moganah alleged that the interest rate for her housing loan was raised without due notification.
This resulted in an accumulation of overdue payments, eventually resulting in the bank auctioning off her low-cost flat in Taman Balakong Jaya, Seri Kembangan, Selangor. She claimed she only learned about the outstanding repayments when it was too late - after her home was already sold in October 2020. Moganah lives in the unit with her husband and two young children. She co-owns the unit with her mother - 61-year-old P Letchumy. They have been servicing the home loan for the past 17 years.
“We hope Bank Negara will help us get our home back,” she said, adding that she was not interested in any compensation from her bank. Malaysiakini is withholding the name of the bank pending a response to this story. Malaysiakini is also reaching out to BNM for comment. Elaborating, Moganah said she found an informal eviction notice on her door on Oct 7, 2020, from someone who claimed to have bought her flat.
She then visited her bank, where an officer informed her that her home had been sold a week ago in an auction. The officer also said that the bank had increased Moganah’s monthly housing loan repayment from RM268 to RM325 back in July 2018. She claimed she was unaware of this increase and thus did not alter her monthly direct debit amount. According to Moganah, the bank stated that the reason for the auction was their housing loan repayment was overdue by three months.
She said her bank blamed the lack of notification on her failure to update her contact number and home address. She refuted this, claiming her details were updated back in 2015. The buyer was alleged to have terminated the water and electricity supply to the unit on March 30. Moganah and her family are now temporarily living in another location.
Read more: Woman claims bank unfairly auctioned off home, wants BNM to intervene
Hati-hati penipuan jual beli barang kemas tak wujud
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April 8, 2021 @ 2:46pm
Kuala Lumpur: Sebanyak 37 kes penipuan berkaitan barang kemas membabitkan kerugian RM239,530 diterima pihak polis bagi tempoh tiga bulan pertama tahun ini.
Pengarah Jabatan Siasatan Jenayah Komersial (JSJK) Bukit Aman, Datuk Zainuddin Yaacob berkata, berdasarkan kajian, penipuan membabitkan barang kemas mencatatkan antara kes penipuan tertinggi.
"Pada 2019, sebanyak 21 kes dilaporkan membabitkan kerugian berjumlah RM148,444 dan jumlah kes meningkat kepada 44 kes pada tahun lalu dengan kerugian RM261,954.
"Bagi tempoh tiga bulan pertama tahun ini, sebanyak 37 kes direkodkan dengan jumlah kerugian RM239,530," katanya dalam kenyataan, hari ini.
Zainuddin berkata, peningkatan jumlah kes yang direkodkan dalam kes berkenaan perlu ditangani dengan serius.
"Perkembangan teknologi dan komunikasi mewujudkan peluang perniagaan secara dalam talian kerana akses mudah dan tanpa had khususnya ketika negara berdepan penularan pandemik Covid-19.
"Ia sekali gus menjadikan platform e-dagang menjadi pilihan pengguna. Namun, perkembangan ini juga turut mewujudkan jenayah penipuan penjualan barangan tidak wujud," katanya.
Beliau berkata, pihaknya sudah melaksanakan langkah-langkah yang perlu untuk memastikan usaha pembanterasan dilakukan dengan efektif serta berkesan.
Read more: Hati-hati penipuan jual beli barang kemas tak wujud
Punish water operators for disruptions, says Fomca
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April 5, 2021 3:53 PM
PETALING JAYA: Water operators should also be penalised for disruptions in supply to users, a consumer group has urged.
Speaking at a forum on the right to clean water today, Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) president Marimuthu Nadason said water disruptions continue to be the norm as there are no laws which set out penalties for the water operators.
Marimuthu pointed out that there were 29 water cuts in the Klang Valley last year alone, and with each water cut lasting a minimum of one and a half days. Consumers in the Klang Valley had to deal with 45 days without water in 2020 – but have still had to pay their water bill in full.
Instead, the National Water Services Commission (SPAN) has key performance indexes which water operators must meet, failing which they could lose their licences. A federal body, SPAN is the executive authority protecting water supply and services in the country.
“This (water disruptions) is still happening due to something simple. The law is not clear about punishment, especially for water operators,” he said.
“In the UK, if there is a planned disruption, water operators have to reimburse (consumers) if their water is not back on within 48 hours. If it is a planned disruption, the water has to be back on in 12 hours.
“In Malaysia, due to the lack of laws to punish water operators, these disruptions are still happening,” he added at the forum.
Read more: Punish water operators for disruptions, says Fomca
Peningkatan hutang isi rumah masih boleh dikawal
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April 5, 2021 @ 10:47am
KUALA LUMPUR: Peningkatan hutang isi rumah ke paras 93.3 peratus daripada Keluaran Dalam Negara Kasar (KDNK) dijangka boleh diuruskan memandangkan sebahagian besar peningkatan itu berikutan penyusutan pertumbuhan ekonomi negara tahun lalu.
Tambahan lagi, tegas penganalisis, ujian tekanan yang dijalankan Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) turut mendapati institusi perbankan berada dalam kedudukan baik dan kukuh serta mampu mendepani krisis kewangan.
Ahli Ekonomi MIDF Research, Abdul Mui'zz Morhalim, berkata hutang isi rumah meningkat pada kadar lebih pantas iaitu 5.5 peratus dalam separuh kedua 2020 disokong kadar faedah lebih rendah berikutan keputusan BNM untuk menurunkan Kadar Dasar Semalaman (OPR) sebanyak 125 mata asas tahun lalu bagi menyokong pertumbuhan ekonomi negara.
Namun, beliau berkata, risiko daripada paras hutang isi rumah yang tinggi itu dijangka mampu diurus dan masih terkawal.
Beliau berkata, kemungkinan kegagalan pembayaran pinjaman apabila moratorium bayaran balik pinjaman berakhir dijangka agak rendah dan terhad kerana 95 peratus daripada 1.5 juta pemohon mendapat kelulusan bagi menstruktur semula pinjaman mereka.
"Sekiranya perlu, institusi perbankan juga mampu untuk meneruskan pemberian bantuan secara bersasar kerana bank juga memperoleh lebih banyak maklumat bagi mengenalpasti pelanggan yang masih memerlukan bantuan tambahan.
"Kelulusan bagi pinjaman yang diputuskan oleh pihak bank telah mengambil kira latar belakang, sumber pendapatan dan bebanan kewangan sedia ada peminjam bagi menilai kemampuan mereka untuk membayar balik serta menguruskan hutang," katanya kepada BH.
Pengurus Pembangunan Perniagaan Putra Business School (PBS), Prof Madya Dr Ahmed Razman Abdul Latiff bagaimanapun menegaskan peningkatan hutang isi rumah perlu diberi perhatian kerana ramai individu yang mengambil peluang atas kadar faedah pinjaman bank yang rendah untuk membeli hartanah kediaman serta kenderaan tanpa memikirkan sama ada mereka mampu untuk menambah hutang atau tidak.
Beliau berkata, ia berikutan kadar faedah yang rendah tidak akan kekal selamanya dan jika seseorang terjejas pendapatannya semasa pandemik, ia akan menyebabkan mereka sukar menampung komitmen hutang berkenaan, sekali gus meningkatkan risiko hutang tidak berbayar (NPL), malah lebih teruk daripada itu adalah risiko muflis.
"Kadar hutang isi rumah berbanding KDNK di Malaysia kini adalah tertinggi di Asia Tenggara dan kedua tertinggi di Asia.
"Oleh itu, ia boleh menjadi lebih teruk jika tidak dikawal sekarang.
"Kempen berbelanja mengikut keperluan dan mengamalkan hidup tanpa berhutang harus dilakukan kerana tahap literasi kewangan dalam kalangan rakyat kita masih rendah," katanya.
Sementara itu, Ketua Ahli Ekonomi Bank Islam Malaysia Bhd, Dr Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid, berkata berdasarkan angka nisbah paras hutang isi rumah daripada KDNK itu sememangnya tidak boleh dipandang ringan.
Namun, katanya, ia masih boleh diurus melalui institusi seperti Agensi Kaunseling dan Pengurusan Kredit (AKPK) bagi mendapatkan nasihat dan kaunseling berkenaan pengurusan kewangan dan adalah perlu diterapkan kesedaran terhadap literasi kewangan dalam kalangan masyarakat dengan lebih tuntas lagi.
"Pihak bank memang sentiasa berwaspada apabila meluluskan kontrak pembiayaan pelanggan. Mereka mengambil kira kedudukan hutang pelanggan seperti nisbah pembayaran hutan atau DSR, rekod Sistem Maklumat Rujukan Kredit Pusat (CCRIS) dan CTOS serta membuat semakan majikan bagi memastikan sumber pendapatan pelanggan adalah sah seperti dalam borang permohonan.
"Justeru, risiko bagi pembiayaan tidak berbayar seharusnya dapat dikawal dari peringkat awal lagi. Oleh itu, kenaikan hutang isi rumah perlu juga dilihat dari sudut pengurusan risiko bank yang sentiasa dipantau oleh BNM serta keupayaan seseorang pelanggan bank untuk melunaskan hutangnya," katanya.
Mohd Afzanizam berkata, dengan adanya bantuan kewangan bersasar seharusnya dapat mengurangkan risiko kemungkinan kegagalan membayar balik pinjaman.
We need a comprehensive water security plan
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WHILE Malaysia may have sufficient water for now, this is not a certainty for the future.
The continuous decline of our water quality due to irresponsible and unethical human behaviours will render water that is acceptable to maintain human well-being scarce, says Professor Dr Zainura Zainon Noor. Additionally, improper planning of water utilisation and allocation may lead to water scarcity in certain parts of the country in the future, says Zainura, who is Deputy Director at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia’s (UTM) Centre for Environmental Sustainability and Water Security (Ipasa).
Improve awareness
Raising awareness is an essential prerequisite to improve water security, says Zainura. “By having awareness regarding water risks, the government, public and private sectors can act more willingly and proactively to mitigate those risks,” says Zainura, stressing the importance of both quality data and the accessibility of that data to the public, as it will increase support for evidence-based decisions and policies. “Raising awareness requires the production and dissemination of proper information highlighting the water-related trends and hazards, their location and magnitude, the vulnerable areas and the potential consequences or damage, at present and in the near future,” she adds.
Furthermore, information relating to water security-related risks is not uniformly distributed to water users, especially the public. Zainura explains that this contributes to the lack of awareness on water security, which is reflected by Malaysians’ passive effort towards safeguarding our water bodies. Although the Government is intensifying their efforts
Dua warga emas ditipu RM100,000 pelaburan tanam padi di Kemboja
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April 2, 2021 10:50 MYT
KUANTAN: Dua wanita warga emas mendakwa kerugian RM50,000 setiap seorang selepas diperdayakan untuk menyertai pelaburan menanam padi di Kemboja, yang disertai mereka sejak tujuh tahun lepas.
Ketua Jabatan Siasatan Jenayah Komersial Pahang Supt Mohd Wazir Mohd Yusof berkata mangsa yang berusia 75 dan 65 tahun mendakwa tertarik untuk melabur selepas menyertai jelajah kononnya dibuat sebuah syarikat pelaburan di sebuah hotel terkemuka di sini, sekitar Jun 2014.
"Pada program jelajah itu, mangsa mendakwa mereka dijanjikan pulangan sebanyak RM52,000 setiap tiga bulan untuk tempoh tiga tahun jika mengambil satu lot padi bernilai RM50,000.
"Mangsa mendakwa mereka menandatangani surat perjanjian sekitar Ogos 2014 selepas membuat bayaran RM50,000 melalui cek yang diserahkan kepada seorang ejen syarikat tersebut," katanya dalam kenyataan di sini, hari ini.
Mohd Wazir berkata, bagaimanapun kedua-dua mangsa mendakwa tidak pernah menerima pulangan yang dijanjikan sehingga tahun ini, selain gagal untuk menghubungi ejen syarikat itu menyebabkan mereka berasa ditipu.
Read more: Dua warga emas ditipu RM100,000 pelaburan tanam padi di Kemboja
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