SOTHI RACHAGAN is an emeritus professor who is a formerdean of the faculty of law of Universiti Malaya; vice-chancellor of Perdana University and Nilai University, and president of theInternational Association of Consumer Law. He serves onnumerous international consumer protection bodies.

COMMENT | Healthcare and insurance are essential services and should not be treated as ordinary businesses. This is particularly true for healthcare insurance. The announcement of healthcare insurance premiums increasing by 40-70 percent has understandably alarmed consumers.

In response, Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) introduced a series of immediate measures to ensure continued access to healthcare insurance and address rising medical costs (Interim Measures to Assist Policyholders and Promote Continued Access to Suitable Medical and Health Insurance/Takaful Products, Dec 20, 2024).

These interim measures are a positive step forward. However, they lack provisions for transparency and accountability from insurers and the regulator, BNM. Transparency and accountability are critical to fostering consumer trust.

Key metrics for insurer performance
Several key metrics can help consumers evaluate insurerperformance and enable regulators to monitor the industry’s health.
> Claims ratio: The ratio of claims paid out to premiumsreceived.
> Loss ratio: The ratio of claims and adjustment expenses(including claim investigation and verification costs) topremiums received.
> Claims settlement ratio: The proportion of claims settledagainst total claims filed (both in number and value). Thisratio allows buyers to compare insurers and choose themost reliable provider.
> Expense ratio: The proportion of expenses incurred inacquiring, underwriting, and servicing premiums relativeto premiums earned, reflecting an insurer’s operationalefficiency before factoring in policy claims and investmentgains or losses.

COMMENT | Healthcare and insurance are essential services and should not be treated as ordinary businesses. This is particularly true for healthcare insurance. The announcement of healthcare insurance premiums increasing by 40-70 percent has understandably alarmed consumers.

In response, Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) introduced a series of immediate measures to ensure continued access to healthcare insurance and address rising medical costs (Interim Measures to Assist Policyholders and Promote Continued Access to Suitable Medical and Health Insurance/Takaful Products, Dec 20, 2024).

These interim measures are a positive step forward. However, they lack provisions for transparency and accountability from insurers and the regulator, BNM. Transparency and accountability are critical to fostering consumer trust.

Key metrics for insurer performance
Several key metrics can help consumers evaluate insurerperformance and enable regulators to monitor the industry’s health.
> Claims ratio: The ratio of claims paid out to premiumsreceived.
> Loss ratio: The ratio of claims and adjustment expenses(including claim investigation and verification costs) topremiums received.
> Claims settlement ratio: The proportion of claims settledagainst total claims filed (both in number and value). Thisratio allows buyers to compare insurers and choose themost reliable provider.
> Expense ratio: The proportion of expenses incurred inacquiring, underwriting, and servicing premiums relativeto premiums earned, reflecting an insurer’s operationalefficiency before factoring in policy claims and investmentgains or losses.

Tahniah diucapkan kepada Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim yang dilantik sebagai Perdana Menteri Ke-10.

#AnwarIbrahim
#PM10
#hakpengguna
#tanganikossarahidup
#FOMCA

Kami daripada Gabungan Persatuan-persatuan Pengguna Malaysia (FOMCA) sedang mencari pelajar Diploma atau Ijazah Sarjana Muda (Degree) yang ingin menyertai kami sebagai pelajar internship/latihan industri sepanjang tahun 2022.

Dalam bidang :
- BUSINESS ADMIN
- BUSINESS MANAGEMENT/MARKETING
- CREATIVE MULTIMEDIA
- ACCOUNT

atau bidang-bidang yang berkaitan boleh juga cuba untuk memohon.

✅ Elaun Latihan turut disertakan.

📍   Tempat bekerja: SS1/22A, Kampung Tunku, 47300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor

📧 Sekiranya berminat, sila hantarkan resume anda ke email: mco@fomca.org.my

Sekiranya terdapat sebarang pertanyaan boleh hubungi kami di talian 03- 7876 4648 atau whatsapp kami di talian 011- 5920 0902

Kami daripada Gabungan Persatuan-persatuan Pengguna Malaysia (FOMCA) sedang mencari pelajar Diploma atau Ijazah Sarjana Muda (Degree) yang ingin menyertai kami sebagai pelajar internship/latihan industri sepanjang tahun 2022.

Dalam bidang :
- BUSINESS ADMIN
- BUSINESS MANAGEMENT/MARKETING
- CREATIVE MULTIMEDIA
- ACCOUNT

atau bidang-bidang yang berkaitan boleh juga cuba untuk memohon.

✅ Elaun Latihan turut disertakan.

📍   Tempat bekerja: SS1/22A, Kampung Tunku, 47300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor

📧 Sekiranya berminat, sila hantarkan resume anda ke email: mco@fomca.org.my

Sekiranya terdapat sebarang pertanyaan boleh hubungi kami di talian 03- 7876 4648 atau whatsapp kami di talian 011- 5920 0902

In a statement today, the SC said the syndicate was being investigated for alleged offences under the Capital Markets and Services Act 2007.

It said SC officers raided several of the syndicate’s locations in Kuala Lumpur recently, confiscating their records and devices. Their servers were also shut down.

According to the statement, the syndicate, which also runs two clone firm schemes promising high returns in a short period of time, was believed to have duped hundreds of investors of over RM7 million.

Initial investigations show that the syndicate had been operating the unlicensed schemes since 2016.

SC identified these schemes as:

November 25, 2020 9:58 AM

The 21-year-old emotionally and physically battered bride required surgery, having suffered multiple fractures on four toes in the fall.

She was forced by her family into an arranged marriage on March 14, four days before the movement control order (MCO) was enforced in Malaysia because of the Covid-19 outbreak.

On the first day of the MCO, her husband began beating her. He threatened to hunt ‘Nellie’ and kill her if she tried to flee.

‘Nellie’ was recently discharged from the hospital and is at a Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO) shelter where she is being assisted with case management.

The story of ‘Nellie’ paints a bleak picture of life for women for whom the lockdown of fear and abuse has intensified.

The Covid-19 crisis seems to have brought out the worst of human behaviour with reports of violent offences lighting up helplines.

Unperturbed by the demand, the man obliged and the move proved costly as he ended up losing RM22,000 of his savings.

In the incident on Sept 17, the victim noticed a job vacancy post on Facebook and sent a message to a number written on the advertisement to gather details about the job.

Pahang Commercial Crime Investigation Department chief Superintendent Mohd Wazir Mohd Yusof said after some time, the victim received a text message requesting a copy of his MyKad and bank account details.

Source:

29 Sep 2020, 06:06 PM

According to Harian Metro, Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said that the ministry discouraged people from recording their body temperatures by pointing the 'temperature gun' at the wrist, which he noted many have been doing lately.

He stressed that the most accurate body temperature readings are obtained from scanning the forehead

"The temperature reading from body parts other than the forehead is doubtful, so in relation to that, the public is advised to stop using their hands or other body parts," he explained.

According to Seattle Children's Hospital, a person's clinical body temperature is normally measured at the forehead, ears, mouth, armpit, or rectum.

Rectal temperatures are the most accurate but are the most invasive, which is why doctors opt for next best screening area - the temporal artery in the forehead.

Mangsa mula menjadi sasaran selepas menerima satu panggilan daripada individu mendakwa petugas 'Pos Laju Malaysia' memaklumkan ada satu bungkusan dihantar dari Kepong ke Sabah mengandungi kad pengenalan atas nama mangsa, pada 25 Mei lalu.

Panggilan itu kemudian disambungkan pula kepada seorang lelaki lain mendakwa sebagai anggota polis berpangkat sarjan bernama 'Chong Sin Hadari'.

Ketua Polis Daerah Petaling Jaya, Asisten Komisioner Nik Ezanee Mohd Faisal, berkata suspek mendakwa bertugas di Jabatan Siasatan Jenayah Komersial, Ibu Pejabat Polis Kontinjen Sabah.

"Mangsa diberitahu dia terbabit dengan sindiket kegiatan pengubahan wang haram dan butiran peribadinya kononnya digunakan seorang lelaki yang juga bekas pengurus bank yang sudah pun ditangkap.

PETALING JAYA: Employees who are affected by salary cuts or retrenchment and need to service their loan repayments, are advised to liaise with their banks.

The Federation of Malaysian Consumers Association (Fomca) has urged these individuals to engage with their banks now instead of waiting until September, when the moratorium period ends.

“If you have genuine concerns about not being able to make the payments after Sept 30, contact the bank as soon as possible to explain your situation and seek to re-negotiate your loan. Negotiate honestly to find the best way forward,” Fomca’s president Datuk Dr Marimuthu Nadason said in a statement today.

For those servicing multiple loans with various banks, he suggests contacting the Credit Counselling and Debt Management Agency (AKPK) for assistance.

Beliau menasihatkan orang ramai mengurangkan aktiviti luar rumah yang boleh memberi kesan kesihatan terutama mereka yang menghidap asma.Peningkatan IPU ini turut menjejaskan sesi persekolahan di kawasan yang terlibat apabila terpaksa ditutup bagi mengelakkan kesihatan pelajar terjejas. Antara negeri yang terlibat de­ngan penutupan sekolah ini ialah Sarawak, Johor, Negeri Sembilan, Sela­ngor, Pulau Pinang dan Kedah serta Putrajaya.Mengikut pekeliling Kementerian Pendidikan, sekiranya bacaan IPU melebihi 100, pihak sekolah hendaklah menghentikan semua aktiviti luar bilik darjah. Jika bacaan 200, semua sekolah yang berada dalam kawasan atau daerah hendaklah ditutup serta-merta. Jabatan pendidikan negeri di seluruh negara mempunyai kuasa mengikut prosedur operasi standard masing-ma­sing untuk mengarahkan penutupan sekolah jika kawasan mereka dilanda jerebu teruk.

A Malaysian pharmacist is warning consumers that there are fake versions of paracetamol product Panadol being sold, after he came across a fake version of the popular medicine in the country.

Zeff Tan, who hails from Penang, said in an August 21 Facebook post that he had obtained the fake Panadol after receiving a tip-off from netizens on where to get them.

A red police authority card means that this officer is suspended and they do not have any rights to hold you.
Blue card: the officer holds an inspector rank or above
Yellow: below the rank of an inspector
White: reserve police.
Here’s an example:

3. If the officer is uniformed, take note of his/her name and ID number.Every officer must have his name and ID number clearly shown.

1. Jangan membeli sekadar untuk memuaskan nafsu membeli

Sering kali kita berkunjung ke pasar raya dan rasa teruja melihat barang barang yang dipamerkan. Ada kalanya kita tidak dapat menahan naluri dan terus membelinya yang menyebabkbkan pengguna membelanjakan wang berlebihan yang sepatutnya boleh dijadikan sebagai simpanan. Melainkan pengguna disahkan mengidap Oniomania (Compulsive Buying Disorder CBD) iaitu sejenis penyakit yang mempunyai ciri ciri untuk membeli belah, langkah yang paling baik adalah untuk melaburkan wang anda dalam sesuatu pelaburan yang sah yang memberikan pulangan yang baik.

2. Jangan membeli semata mata kerana barangan di jual musim jualan murah

Kebanyakan pasar raya mengadakan jualan murah semasa musim perayaan seperti Hari Raya Aidil Fitri, Tahun Baru Cina, Deepavali, Christmas dan sebagainya. Di samping jualan ini, ada juga jualan akhir tahun. Kalau anda ingin membeli kerana bimbang akan kehabisan stok, jualan bermusim akan pasti tiba dan akan dapat membelinya sekiranya benar benar perlu.

“It is estimated that groundwater constitutes less than 3% of the water supply in Malaysia, with the remainder sourced from surfaced water,“ he said.He compared local groundwater utilisation to that of other countries - Denmark has 100% utilisation, Austria 97%, Thailand 80%, China 78%, USA 50%.“Why is this the case for Malaysia? Groundwater resources in Malaysia face many serious problems that relate back to the absence of an adaptive and comprehensive management regime, research and development, manpower, human resources issues, resource data collection, public awareness and stakeholder participation,“said Xavier.He said that it may be necessary to revisit the National Water Resources Policy and the national need to meet future potable and irrigation water demands.“Any new water policy must take into consideration the use of groundwater and its integration into the water supply system,“ he said.

Objektif FOMCA

FOMCA ditubuhkan dengan tujuan untuk mencapai objektif-objektif berikut:

1. Untuk memperkuatkan perkembangan pergerakan pengguna di Malaysia.
2. Meneliti isu-isu dan masalah pengguna dan berjuang untuk hak-hak pengguna.
3. Untuk berjuang menerusi kuasa beli pengguna demi mendapatkan satu orientasi pembangunan yang akan menjamin keadilan sosio ekonomi dan kualiti alam sekitar yang lebih baik bagi semua.
4. Menyelaras dan menjadi badan perunding bagi organisasi pengguna yang lain di Malaysia

Falsafah FOMCA

FOMCA bukan hanya sebuah pertubuhan pengguna, tetapi juga sebuah pertubuhan pembangunan. FOMCA inginkan mewujudkan keadaan-keadaan seperti berikut:

1. Mewujudkan sifat berdikasi di kalangan para pengguna iaitu " - "Perlindungan Paling Berkesan ialah Perlindungan Sendiri."
2. Mewujudkan pembangunan berorientasikan kepada menunaikan keperluan asas manusia melalui kuasa beli kita sebagai pengguna bagi mewujudkan satu kebudayaan hidup yang sesuai, bahagian dan tidak membazir.

Peranan FOMCA

Demi mencapai falsafah-falsafah di atas, FOMCA mengamalkan empat pendekatan penting iaitu:

1. Sebuah badan yang memberi dan menyebarkan maklumat.
2. Sebuah badan pendidik yang memberi pendidikan kepada semua pengguna.
3. Sebuah badan bertindak yang memberi perlindungan kepada pengguna.
4. Sebuah badan yang menyiasat, membuat kajian dan ujian untuk memperolehi maklumat yang benar

KAMI akan menjalankan operasi kami secara profesional dan praktikal untuk melindungi hak-hak pengguna; hak untuk membuat pilihan, hak untuk mendapatkan keselamatan, hak untuk mendapatkan maklumat, hak untuk bersuara, hak untuk mendapatkan ganti rugi, hak untuk mendapatkan alam sekitar yang sihat dan selamat, hak untuk mendapatkan keperluan asas, dan hak untuk mendapatkan pendidikan pengguna.

KAMI bukan hanya satu pertubuhan pengguna; tetapi juga sebuah pertubuhan pembangunan yang mempraktikkan tindakan seperti berikut:

1. Berkerjasama dengan kerajaan tetapi bukan untuk kerajaan
2. Berkerjasama dengan pengguna tetapi bukan untuk pengguna
3. Mengawal kaedah perniagaan yang mengeksploitasi dan tidak beretika tetapi bukan menentang kaedah perniagaan yang bertanggungjawab]]> PROFIL FOMCA Tue, 14 Feb 2017 18:41:26 +0000