INFO PENGGUNA

MAVCOM Finally Acts to Protect Aviation Consumers

2021-02-24T18:33:20+00:00

24 February 2021
MAVCOM has finally taken the bold step to demand that airlines refund affected consumers. In our letter to the editor on July 2020, FOMCA had expressed deep disappointment with the airlines industry for refusing to refund consumers and demanding that consumers accept credit to be used by a stipulated time, instead of their cash refunds.

Consumers have a right to refunds as the service had been cancelled.

Complaints by consumers to MAVCOM were given stock answers that the airlines have been informed to respond to the consumers complaints. The National Consumer Complaints Center (NCCC) request to MAVCOM to facilitate prompt refund to consumers also met with failure.

We had indeed shared our utter disappointment with MAVCOM’s approach towards consumer complaints and request for refunds. We had complained that instead of protecting consumers it allows the airlines leeway to refuse giving consumers their refunds.

Yet, finally MAVCOM recently has directed airlines to refund the affected consumers for flights that had been cancelled as a result of international and local travel restrictions necessitated by the covid-19 pandemic. The instruction from MAVCOM should be a clear and explicit directive to the airlines to refund the affected consumers not a request.

MAVCOM functions under the Malaysian Aviation Consumer Protection Code and thus should act to protect consumers as the first priority. FOMCA fully supports the statement by MAVCOM that the airlines should refund to affected consumers the amount equivalent to the cost of the ticket at the time of purchase, including taxes, charges and fees under any written law and charges for optional services.

FOMCA would also urge that the airlines should also add interests for the time that they held the money of the consumers. This is only fair.

88 peratus pilih moratorium - AKPK

2020-07-02T16:38:14+00:00

Julai 03, 2020 07:00
KUALA LUMPUR: Sebanyak 88 peratus atau 2,342 daripada 2,661 responden undian dalam talian yang dijalankan oleh Agensi Kaunseling dan Pengurusan Kredit (AKPK) memilih untuk mengambil moratorium atau penangguhan bayaran balik kewangan yang diperkenalkan oleh Bank Negara.

Ketua Unit Pembangunan Modul Jabatan Pendidikan Kewangan AKPK Nirmala Supramaniam berkata daripada jumlah yang memilih moratorium itu, 48 peratus atau 1,124 responden mahu mewujudkan simpanan waktu kecemasan.
"Ada juga yang mengambil moratorium ini untuk menggunakan duit tersebut membeli keperluan harian 21 peratus (491), pelaburan 16 peratus (375), membuat pinjaman yang lebih rendah 11 peratus (258) dan empat peratus (94) tiada perancangan.

"Bagaimanapun undian ini tidak mengambarkan keseluruhan situasi sebenar kerana ia hanya undian secara rawak yang dilakukan dalam talian melalui Faceboook AKPK dan microsite AKPK, #askAKP dari April hingga Mei lepas," katanya kepada Bernama selepas menjadi tetamu program Ruang Bicara, terbitan Bernama TV, malam tadi.

Dalam pada itu, Nirmala berkata kajian AKPK turut mendapati tahap tekanan kewangan meningkat sebanyak 35 peratus dalam kalangan golongan yang bekerja dalam tempoh Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan (PKP) baru-baru ini.

Bank dijangka putuskan lanjutan moratorium selepas September

2020-06-30T17:26:51+00:00

KUALA LUMPUR - Bank-bank dijangka memutuskan sama ada akan meneruskan moratorium pembayaran balik pinjaman atau tidak apabila tempoh moratorium sedia ada berakhir September ini, kata penganalisis.

Penganalisis Affin Hwang Capital, Loong Chee Wei berkata, beberapa golongan yang terjejas akibat Covid-19 sehingga kehilangan pekerjaan mungkin diberi moratorium, namun langkah itu tidak akan bersifat menyeluruh.

"Ada yang masih menghadapi kesulitan sehingga kini, oleh itu moratorium yang diberikan harus bersasar,” katanya pada taklimat media secara maya mengenai Prospek Makro Malaysia dan Unjuran Sektor bagi separuh kedua 2020 hari ini.
Sementara itu, Ketua Pakar Ekonomi Affin Hwang Capital, Alan Tan berkata, pihaknya mengekalkan unjuran Keluaran Dalam Negara Kasar (KDNK) Malaysia tahun ini pada penguncupan 3.5 peratus, dipengaruhi ketidaktentuan ekonomi disebabkan kebimbangan meningkat mengenai pandemik Covid-19.

Beliau berkata, penguncupan paling ketara dijangka dilihat pada suku kedua tahun ini.

“Namun, kami berpendapat pertumbuhan akan pulih kepada enam peratus tahun depan manakala eksport dijangka meningkat semula kepada tujuh peratus," katanya.

Increase health expenditure to 7pct of GDP, govt told

2020-06-04T16:38:20+00:00

KUALA LUMPUR: The Federation of Malaysian Consumers' Associations (Fomca) is urging the government to look into increasing its health expenditure to 7 per cent of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Fomca president Datuk Dr Marimuthu Nadason said an increase in spending, better budget management and reduction of corruption and leakages would enhance the public healthcare sector.

He lauded the Health Ministry for their handling of the Covid-19 crisis that was eased by the additional financial support given to them.

Marimuthu however said in normal, pre-Covid times, however, the healthcare system is overburdened and underfunded.

He said 65 per cent of the population used public healthcare services however only 45 per cent of this demographic was served by registered doctors, while 25 per cent of them were served by specialists.

"There is a clearly under-investment in pubic healthcare. Health expenditure is a mere 4.4 per cent of GDP, while the World Health Organisation suggests expenditures of up to 7 per cent of GDP," he said while quoting data made available to Fomca by the Health Ministry.

He said that among the three biggest challenges include the insufficient beds in hospitals which deny patients who need to be warded the urgent medical facilities and services that they are supposed to be provided with.

Ditipu RM12,000 kononnya beli tong gas lelong

2020-06-04T00:07:07+00:00

Khamis, 4 Jun 2020 @ 3:12 PM

SEORANG peniaga kerugian RM12,650 selepas diperdaya individu menyamar pegawai Kementerian Perdagangan Dalam Negeri dan Hal Ehwal Pengguna (KPDNHEP) yang menjual tong gas tidak wujud, bulan lalu.

Ketua Jabatan Siasatan Jenayah Komersial negeri Superintendan Mohd Wazir Mohd Yusof berkata, mangsa dihubungi suspek yang juga lelaki mendakwa dari KPDNHEP Raub pada 28 Mei lalu berkaitan penjualan tong gas lelong.

"Mangsa ditawarkan tong gas lelong pada harga RM49 setong dan dia setuju untuk membeli 250 tong pada harga RM12,250.

"Dia kemudiannya melakukan lima transaksi pembayaran namun menyedari ditipu selepas tong gas berkenaan tidak dihantar pada tarikh dipersetujui," katanya hari ini.

Mangsa membuat laporan di Ibu Pejabat Polis Daerah (IPD) Cameron Highlands semalam dan kes disiasat mengikut Seksyen 420 Kanun Keseksaan.

Sumber: https://www.hmetro.com.my/mutakhir/2020/06/585923/ditipu-rm12000-kononnya-beli-tong-gas-lelong

Unregistered daycare centres told to register with Women and Family Ministry

2020-06-03T23:51:43+00:00

Thursday, 04 Jun 2020 l 3:12 PM MYT

PETALING JAYA: Unregistered daycare centres should make themselves legal by registering before operating, urged Senior Minister (Security) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

He said that illegal daycare centres could not be monitored during the conditional movement control order (MCO) as they had no records with the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry.

"We have given permission for registered taska operators to start reopening and these are centres monitored by the ministry, and their operators are all trained.

"There are also unregistered or illegal taska and we are worried over these type of premises because the operators have no training of any sort and if something bad were to happen, it is out of our knowledge.

"I'm appealing to these operators to register with the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry so that they can get training and any aid allocated for registered centres," he said during his daily briefings on Thursday (June 4).

He said that the standard operating procedures (SOPs) set by the government in allowing registered daycare centres to operate were strict to ensure full compliance and maximum safety of everyone involved.

Beware of rampant scammers when purchasing medical gloves, warns Margma

2020-06-03T23:39:23+00:00

Thursday, 04 Jun 2020 l 2:51 PM MYT

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Rubber Glove Manufacturers Association (Margma) has urged local and international buyers to stay vigilant amidst the rush to purchase medical gloves.

Its president Denis Low said the association had recently received over a dozen reports from its members who discovered fraudulent and fake agents claiming to represent their respective companies for glove supplies.

"Some members reported that fake company letters were produced to appoint bogus agents while others were prompted by customers as quoted prices soared higher and promised of delivery timeline was cut short.

"As the global glove demand continues to spike due to the overwhelming Covid-19 pandemic, fraudsters and scammers quickly emerged and are harming both the genuine sellers and buyers in the industry," he said in a statement on Thursday (June 4).

The association urged buyers from both local and international markets not to fall prey to such fraudsters and scammers.

Low said buyers are encouraged to check the Margma website to ascertain the genuineness of the manufacturers they are dealing with or email contact@margma.com.my for clarification.

Kaji SOP perniagaan 'online' dari rumah

2020-06-03T23:06:25+00:00

Khamis, 4 Jun 2020 @ 12:06 PM

KERAJAAN Terengganu sedang merangka satu prosedur operasi standard (SOP) untuk peniaga yang menjalankan perniagaan secara dalam talian di rumah bagi memastikan aspek kebersihan dipatuhi.

Exco Kerajaan Tempatan, Perumahan, Kesihatan dan Alam Sekitar negeri, Dr Alias Razak berkata, kajian itu akan merangkumi suntikan tifoid dan lesen perniagaan seperti pemilik premis yang lain.

Katanya, trend perniagaan mula berubah dengan kewujudan peniaga secara dalam talian terutama yang mengendalikan perniagaan di rumah.

"Perniagaan secara dalam talian ini terutama di rumah sukar dikawal terutama dalam aspek kebersihan ini, jadi kita sudah berbincang dengan Jabatan Kesihatan Negeri Terengganu (JKNT) untuk sediakan satu SOP baharu berhubung perkara ini.

"Kita sedang menyiapkan satu SOP bagaimana penyediaan makanan di rumah bagi peniaga yang tidak ada premis perniagaan untuk memastikan makanan disediakan dengan selamat," katanya.

Dr Alias berkata, kajian berhubung perkara itu perlu diteliti dengan sebaik mungkin kerana ia membabitkan pelbagai aspek sebelum ia boleh dikuat kuasa.

Kerugian akibat penipuan jualan pelitup muka cecah RM5.5 juta

2020-06-03T23:03:31+00:00

Khamis, 4 Jun 2020 @ 2:15 PM

POLIS Diraja Malaysia (PDRM) sudah membuka 572 kertas siasatan berkaitan penipuan penjualan pelitup muka membabitkan kerugian dianggarkan bernilai RM5.5 juta.

Menteri Kanan (Kluster Keselamatan) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob berkata, kertas siasatan itu dibuka dari 18 Mac hingga semalam.

Beliau berkata, kebanyakan kes penipuan ini membabitkan urusan jual beli dilakukan melalui Facebook (FB) dan aplikasi WhatsApp.

"Negeri yang mencatatkan kertas siasatan tertinggi adalah di Selangor sebanyak 122; dan masing-masing 68 di Johor serta Pulau Pinang.

"Daripada jumlah itu, PDRM sudah menahan 181 individu, dan 53 lagi sudah dituduh di mahkamah," katanya pada sidang media harian di Putrajaya, hari ini.

Sehubungan itu, Ismail Sabri mengingatkan orang ramai supaya berhati-hati ketika membuat pembelian melalui platform dalam talian.

"Elak dari berurusan di laman sesawang yang mencurigakan. Semak ulasan atau komen daripada pembeli lain sebelum membuat pembelian.

After ‘puding buih’ incident, MOH’s Food Safety and Quality Division wants to regulate home-based online food businesses

2020-06-03T22:54:14+00:00

A food poisoning victim showing the 'puding buih' that she purchased online from a home-based food seller. — Bernama

Home-based online food businesses that offer delivery services in Malaysia will soon be required to register with the Food Safety and Quality Division under the Ministry of Health (MOH).

"We are preparing a holistic exercise for the home-based industry that will cover regulations, registrations and special guidelines for home-based delivery," said the division's senior director Mohd Salim Hj Dulatti.

Mohd Salim added that the division is working towards regulating such home-based online food businesses so they can comply with official guidelines on food safety. Details about the regulations will be revealed by the Health Ministry on a later date.

LifestyleTech contacted to the Food Safety and Quality Division to inquire about guidelines and regulations for home-based online food businesses in Malaysia in light of the recent death of a 25-year-old woman in Terengganu who suffered from severe food poisoning after consuming 'puding buih' purchased online.

State Local Government, Housing, Health and Environment Committee chairman Dr Alias Razak stated that investigations revealed the 'puding buih' seller involved had produced the food item using eggs which were two weeks past their expiration date.

"Action has been taken by the Terengganu Health Department to close the kitchen of the puding buih business for 14 days (until June 7) under the Section 18 (1) of the Infectious Disease Act 1988," he said in a Bernama report.