Consumer groups laud move to extend electricity discount
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July 3, 2020 @ 11:24am
KUALA LUMPUR: Consumer associations believe that the government's move to extend the discount for electricity use for domestic users until the end of the year will greatly help people cope with financial difficulties.
However, they also believe that it was incumbent on the people to adapt to the new normal and manage their energy consumption.
Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) chief operating officer, Saravanan Thambirajah, said the move would benefit the public, especially those who had been financially hit by the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said the move came on the heels of several government announcements to help people, including the National Economic Stimulus Package, Bantuan Prihatin and the Bantuan Prihatin Elektrik.
"We've seen retrenchments take place. People are losing their sources of income, so this will help them survive for at least the next six months.
"Consumers will benefit from this discount extension, in which they will not see any surcharge on their electricity bills. With this move, people will have extra money and able to use it for other purposes."
The Energy and Natural Resources Ministry, in a statement yesterday, announced that discounts for electricity usage for domestic users would be extended until the end of the year.
Read more: Consumer groups laud move to extend electricity discount
Black market a drag on Malaysia’s economy
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Thursday, July 2nd, 2020
IN a recent investigative expose on how fake goods in Malaysia are putting lives in danger, it was reported that this country had the “biggest market” for counterfeit liquor.
A municipal councillor in Penang who has been spearheading a movement against bootleg alcohol for the past six years, P David Marshel, shared that many people found the original products expensive.
Priced out of their budget, they turn to moonshine options which are 70% to 80% cheaper.
Malaysia also ranked number one globally for trading in illegal cigarettes (59%), followed by Brazil (50%), according to an Oxford Economics report titled The Economics of the Illicit Tobacco Trade in Malaysia (June 2019).
However, these figures have since increased to 65%, meaning seven out of 10 cigarettes sold in this country are illegal. Approximately 12.2 billion illegal sticks were estimated to have been sold and consumed here in 2019 alone.
This is an alarming ratio, given the latest World Health Organisation (WHO) statistics which stated that one in every 10 cigarettes and tobacco products consumed globally is estimated to be illicit, with a total of 132 billion illicit cigarettes consumed over 57 countries.
Yet, Malaysia remains a well-known shopping haven, especially for those seeking “branded luxury” goods.
88 peratus pilih moratorium - AKPK
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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.
What Happens To Your Home Loan If You Lose Your Job?
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26 June 2020
Depending on whether you had some sort of preparation for the possibility of suddenly losing your job, there are two possible outcomes you can expect. Read on to find out more!
The idea of losing your job is already a scary enough thought if you’re single and living on your own. Imagine the terror that person will have if they have a family to support AND a home loan to pay off!
The decision to purchase a property is a serious financial commitment that isn’t to be taken lightly. It’ll tie you to regular monthly payments for the next 30 years or more, so if your source of income is suddenly taken away, you’re in for a rough ride.
With the COVID-19 pandemic having a severe impact on the global economy, and countless businesses shutting down or scaling back on staff, the prediction that more than 2 million Malaysians would be jobless in 2020 is a very serious matter.
Now, what will happen to your home loan and more importantly, the dream property that you’ve been saving up for, if you end up unemployed? We’re going to be taking a look at both the good and the bad news, so read on to find out.
The Good News
First up, don’t immediately panic. Under normal circumstances, you should be able to approach your lender in order to work out a plan to still keep your home.
Read more: What Happens To Your Home Loan If You Lose Your Job?
Gov’t extends electricity bill discount to Dec 31 for all domestic users
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Thursday, 02 Jul 2020 l 8:39 PM MYT
PETALING JAYA: The government has agreed to extend the discount period for electricity bills of domestic users across the country for a further three months to Dec 31.
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Datuk Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah said as a responsible government that is sensitive to the needs of the people, it has agreed to extend the discount until Dec 31 for all domestic users in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak.
"With this decision, a total of 7.66 million domestic users in the peninsula will continue to enjoy the electric bill discount between 2% and 5% from Oct 1 until Dec 31 as an extension announced by the Prime Minister on March 27 under the government's economic stimulus," he said in a statement on Thursday (July 2).
On June 20, the government announced the Bantuan Prihatin Elektrik (BPE) as an additional aid in the form of free electricity of up to RM231 for the three months during the movement control order (MCO) from April until end of June.
Shamsul Anuar said that the extension also applies for electric users between 601 kilowatt-hours (kWh) and 900kWh, who are enjoying a 10% discount under BPE.
Read more: Gov’t extends electricity bill discount to Dec 31 for all domestic users
TNB: Domestic customers will get BPE details in their July bill
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Thursday, 02 Jul 2020 01:06 PM MYT
KUALA LUMPUR, July 2 ― Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) says its domestic (residential) customers may view the details of the Bantuan Prihatin Elektrik (BPE) received for the months of April, May and June in the Detailed Statement issued in July.
In a statement, TNB said customers would receive the Detailed Statement together with their July bills via mail within seven days after the meter reading.
Customers may also view the statement and bills online via the myTNB website and app 48 hours after receiving the Customer Notice.
“TNB meter readers will commence readings for the July bill at customers’ premises from July 3, 2020, and customers will receive the Customer Notice to inform them that the reading has been done,” it said.
On June 20, 2020, the government with TNB announced the BPE as an additional aid to benefit all 7.66 million domestic customers in the form of free electricity of up to RM231 for the three months during the movement control order (MCO) from April to June 2020.
The aid would be reflected in their actual bill.
Read more: TNB: Domestic customers will get BPE details in their July bill
Smart meters to monitor electricity usage
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MELAKA: THE increase in electricity consumption and charges during the recent Movement Control Order period may have caught some consumers unaware, as they were in the dark over their actual electricity usage during that time.
However, for a number of consumers who use Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) Smart Metres, they were able to keep tabs on their electricity consumption and take the necessary steps to control their usage, thus preventing from an unexpected increase in their bills.
Rahim Selamat, 59, from Kampung Tehel in Jasin, is one such user. He said the installation of the smart metre at his home has enabled him the flexibility to monitor his electricity usage via the MyTNB app which is downloaded on his smartphone.
"Since we changed to the smart metre system several years ago, I have been able to limit and control the electricity consumption in my house to prevent wastage and excess cost," he said.
"During the recent Movement Control Order (MCO) and Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) period, electricity consumption in my household increased two-fold. However, this is to be expected because all residents are at home, consuming energy through electrical appliances such as the air-conditioning, fan, television and lights," he added.
'During the month of Ramadan, our oven was switched on almost everyday as we began preparations for our Hari Raya cakes and cookies. Its no wonder that our overall electricity usage had increased," he said.
Businessman regrets buying second-hand MPV
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JOHOR BARU: Businessman Md Yazid Saidi will never buy a used vehicle again after having to fork out more money to repair it.
He paid RM80,000 for the second-hand multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) registered in 2011, as the family needed a bigger vehicle.
Md Yazid said the vehicle’s ownership was transferred to his wife’s name Suharnizan Md Sidek, 45, on August 17,2018.
The couple was overjoyed when the vehicle was delivered to them four days later.
They first used the vehicle to visit their hometown in Besut, Terengganu to celebrate Hari Raya Aidiladha.
“The vehicle started giving us problems on the second day after it was handed over to us, ’’ Md Yazid said when met at the Johor Baru Consumer Claims Tribunal in Menara Ansar here.
He said the family left Johor Baru at around 6.30am for Batu Pahat on August 22,2018, to pick up relatives before heading to Terengganu.
Md Yazid said there were no problems with the vehicle while they were travelling to Batu Pahat, about 130km from Johor Baru.
The 55-year-old said he felt something was wrong with the vehicle on the way to Bandar Muadzam Shah, Pahang, about 175km from Batu Pahat.
Impian Percutian Musnah Ditipu Sindiket Pelancongan - NCCC
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“Berdikit-dikit, lama-lama menjadi bukit”, peribahasa Melayu yang begitu sinonim dengan tabiat menabung. Ramai pengguna yang menyimpan wang secara sedikit demi sedikit untuk tujuan melancong. Namun demikian, ramai yang tersungkur dengan kerenah penipuan sindiket pelancongan dan juga penipuan yang berlaku dalam bidang pelancongan ini. Jumlah aduan tentang penipuan ini kian meningkat saban hari.
Pada 2017, sebanyak 3,590 aduan telah diterima oleh Pusat Khidmat Aduan Pengguna Nasional (NCCC), manakala pada tahun 2018, jumlah aduan telah meningkat ke 4,411 kes.
Kebanyakan aduan adalah bersabit dengan penipuan yang juga dikenali sebagai scam. Jumlah aduan yang diterima adalah hampir 28%, iaitu sebanyak 1,235 kes daripada keseluruhan jumlah aduan mengenai pelancongan.
Kebanyakan scam ini berlaku kerana para pengguna mudah terperdaya dengan pakej percutian yang ‘indah khabar dari rupa’ yang ditawarkan oleh sindiket pelancongan yang tidak sah, sekali gus tidak mempunyai lesen untuk mengendalikan aktiviti pelancongan daripada pihak berkuasa.
Sindiket ini menawarkan harga yang jauh lebih murah berbanding harga yang kebiasaannya ditawarkan oleh syarikat-syarikat pelancongan yang berlesen. Pakej yang ditawarkan lazimnya merangkumi tambang perjalanan, makanan dan juga penginapan di hotel tiga bintang.
Namun demikian, pengguna perlu membuat tempahan seawal enam sehingga lapan bulan sebelum tarikh perjalanan, serta perlu membayar wang pendahuluan.
Di samping itu juga, mereka terpaksa membayar wang tempahan sehingga 50% daripada bayaran penuh kos pelancongan. Apabila tarikh percutian hampir tiba, para pelancong akhirnya gagal menghubungi syarikat atau ejen sindiket pelancongan untuk mendapatkan tiket dan butir-butir perjalanan.
Read more: Impian Percutian Musnah Ditipu Sindiket Pelancongan - NCCC
MyKNP Sediakan Khidmat Nasihat untuk Pembiayaan
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Bank Negara Malaysia hari ini mengumumkan penubuhan Khidmat Nasihat Pembiayaan (MyKNP). Inisiatif ini merupakan kerjasama antara Credit Guarantee Corporation Malaysia Berhad (CGC) dengan Agensi Kaunseling dan Pengurusan Kredit (AKPK), serta mendapat sokongan daripada industri kewangan.
MyKNP merupakan satu lagi usaha yang dilaksanakan secara kolektif dalam ekosistem pembiayaan yang sedia ada. MyKNP bertujuan memberikan panduan yang lebih baik kepada pemohon pembiayaan, termasuk meningkatkan kefahaman pemohon tentang faktor-faktor yang mempengaruhi permohonan pembiayaan mereka serta meningkatkan kelayakan mereka untuk mendapatkan pembiayaan pada masa hadapan.
Pemohon yang tidak berjaya mendapatkan pembiayaan PKS atau pembiayaan perumahan boleh mendapatkan khidmat nasihat dengan menghubungi sama ada MyKNP @ CGC (pembiayaan PKS) atau MyKNP @ AKPK (pembiayaan perumahan), dan mendapatkan khidmat nasihat yang berikut:
• Penjelasan lanjut berhubung dengan sebab-sebab permohonan pembiayaan daripada institusi kewangan tidak berjaya ;
• Khidmat nasihat untuk meningkatkan kelayakan bagi permohonan pembiayaan pada masa hadapan; dan
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