FOMCA di Pentas Media 2025

Govt cuts egg subsidies by half, targets complete removal by Aug 1

2025-04-29T19:09:44+00:00

PETALING JAYA: The government has decided to end the price controls on chicken eggs and reduce the subsidies from 10 sen to 5 sen per egg, effective tomorrow.

In a statement, the agriculture and food security ministry said the subsidy for chicken eggs would be fully removed from Aug 1.

“This decision was made after taking into account the industry’s commitment to ensuring sufficient and stable egg production, as production costs have stabilised.

“This was evident during the recent Aidilfitri festive season, where supply remained adequate and prices were competitive,” it said.

The ministry said that to minimise the impact of the decision, it would collaborate with the domestic trade and cost of living ministry for the introduction of a special grade of egg at an affordable price.

It also said that consumers could continue to buy eggs at competitive prices through Agro Madani Sales and Rahmah Sales programmes nationwide.

Public health before profits, Fomca says on vape ban

2025-04-28T18:56:22+00:00

PETALING JAYA: The Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) has stressed that protecting public health should take precedence over concerns from vape dealers over potential economic losses from bans.

In a statement, Fomca said plans by several states to ban the sale of vape-related products marked a progressive step towards fulfilling the country’s responsibility under the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), a public health treaty ratified by 181 countries.

Malaysia acceded to the convention in 2005 and remains committed to achieving the FCTC’s target of reducing the use of smoking products to below 5% by 2040, said Fomca.

“Global experience has shown that the partial regulation of smoking products is insufficient to achieve significant reductions in the burden of smoking-related diseases. Therefore, the ban on vape sales must continue, supported by firm and consistent enforcement actions,” said Fomca.

Fomca: Ban vape product sales as they are too popular among school children

2025-04-21T00:07:23+00:00

KUALA LUMPUR: State governments should ban the sale of vape products through local councils, as they are becoming more popular among children due to their accessibility and flashy advertising.

Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) secretary-general Saravanan Thambirajah said banning the sale of vape products was long overdue.

He said that there had been many complaints from parents and educators that children were exposed to nicotine and sometimes synthetic drugs through vaping at a young age.

"This poses a grave public health concern. Addiction is developing at a young age, and the long-term consequences on brain development, learning and general wellbeing are substantial.

"We are no longer in a position to just study the issue. Action is needed now," he said while calling on other state governments to follow in the footsteps of the Johor government in banning the sale of the product.

Online fraud cases see big jump in early 2025

2025-04-20T23:19:43+00:00

KUALA LUMPUR: Online fraud involving e-finance crimes, love scams, e-commerce, telecommunications, loans and non-existent investments increased between 1.6% and 19.8% in the first quarter of the year, compared with the last quarter of 2024.

Acting Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department director Deputy Comm Datuk Rohaimi Md Isa said losses amounting to RM573.7mil involving 12,110 cases were recorded between January and March this year.

“E-commerce crime cases recorded the highest increase of 19.8% with 2,535 cases, followed by telecommunications crime at 17.1% involving 5,214 cases.

“The highest increase recorded in the e-commerce crime category is closely linked to the increase in online purchasing activities by consumers, especially in conjunction with the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration,” DCP Rohaimi said.

Although the overall number of online fraud cases recorded an increase, he said, total losses involving e-finance crimes, love scams, e-commerce crimes and non-existent loans decreased between 1.8% and 24.8%.

KPDN tidak kawal harga ubat, sebaliknya mahu ia dipaparkan

2025-04-17T23:58:40+00:00

PUTRAJAYA, 18 April: Kementerian Perdagangan Dalam Negeri dan Kos Sara Hidup (KPDN) menegaskan bahawa pelaksanaan dasar paparan harga ubat di klinik swasta bukan bertujuan untuk mengawal harga, sebaliknya bagi memastikan ketelusan kepada pengguna.

Menterinya, Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali, berkata dasar tersebut penting bagi memberikan akses kepada maklumat harga ubat, sekali gus membolehkan rakyat membuat pilihan berdasarkan kemampuan dan keperluan masing-masing.

“Apa yang kita lakukan di sini adalah untuk memaparkan harga ubat supaya rakyat ada akses kepada maklumat, dan dapat membuat pilihan. Kita tidak, melalui Akta Kawalan Harga dan Anti Pencatutan (AKHAP), menetapkan berapa harga ubat yang perlu dijual.

“Tidak. Juallah ikut harga kehendak masing-masing, tetapi yang penting ialah paparkan supaya rakyat boleh melihat dan membuat pilihan tersebut,” katanya selepas menghadiri Sambutan Hari Penguat Kuasa Ke-53 di Putrajaya, hari ini.

Pada masa sama, beliau turut menjelaskan bahawa pelaksanaan dasar tersebut telah dibincangkan dan dipersetujui bersama Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia (�㽶��Ƶ) serta Jabatan Peguam Negara bagi memastikan ia selari dengan peraturan sedia ada.

Embrace transparency or risk public distrust, private healthcare sector told

2025-04-17T23:46:09+00:00

Consumer NGOs question the need for secrecy if the current medicine pricing and margins are ethical and fair.

PETALING JAYA: The private healthcare sector must embrace transparency or risk losing the public’s trust, says a coalition of consumer groups as the government moves to mandate drug price displays at private clinics and hospitals.

The coalition of 21 NGOs led by the Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca), the Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) and the Third World Network expressed its full support for the policy set for enforcement from May 1.

They questioned the need for secrecy if the pricing and margins are ethical and fair.

“Let consumers see, compare and choose. This is what a mature, fair and competitive health sector looks like,” said the coalition in a joint statement today.

They rejected claims that the health and domestic trade and cost of living ministries lacked industry understanding, arguing that both ministries are the most qualified authorities to regulate Malaysian healthcare.

Hati-hati ‘janji manis’ insurans warga emas, kata NCCC

2025-04-17T23:40:15+00:00

Pusat Khidmat Aduan Pengguna Nasional dakwa skim insurans itu tidak nyata maklumat penting, hanya ‘keistimewaan’ seperti pampasan 400%

PETALING JAYA: Pusat Khidmat Aduan Pengguna Nasional (NCCC) menasihatkan warga emas berhati-hati dengan tawaran insurans menjanjikan pelbagai ‘keistimewaan’ termasuk pampasan sehingga 400%.

Pengurus Kanannya Saral James Maniam mendakwa, iklan insurans itu yang kini giat dipromosikan juga menawarkan bayaran bulanan rendah serta manfaat kematian dan matang 100%.

Katanya, syarikat terbabit cuba meyakinkan orang ramai dengan meletakkan ayat seperti 100% diterima tanpa syarat dan tiada pemeriksaan kesihatan selain melindungi penyakit kritikal seperti diabetes, kanser dan jantung.

Namun, katanya di sebalik janji manis itu tersembunyi pelbagai risiko berikut menjerat pengguna terutama sasaran warga emas berusia 50 hingga 70 tahun yang mungkin tidak menyedari perjanjian ditandatangani mereka.

Saral berkata, kesangsian timbul kerana tidak dinyatakan maklumat tempoh menunggu, pengecualian perlindungan atau situasi di mana tuntutan mungkin ditolak.

Online 'steals' and deals that rob you blind: Fomca urges Malaysians to wise up

2025-04-17T19:58:16+00:00

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysians have been warned to stay alert amid the rising tide of online scams disguised as "investment" opportunities" or shopping deals that seem too good to be true.

Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) vice-president Datuk Indrani Thuraisingham said scammers typically baited victims with schemes or deals promising quick gains or huge savings with no risks.

These scams are often made to appear believable by linking them to clone websites.

Indrani said there were ads that promised RM10,000 in returns within 24 hours for a RM200 investment and "instant loan approvals".

"These scammers often ask victims to transfer money into personal accounts, using urgency like 'limited time only' to pressure quick action," she said, adding that many such schemes exploited the anonymity of online platforms and weak user awareness.

Money talks – but should you listen when ‘finfluencers’ offer investment tips?

2025-04-14T23:33:33+00:00

In a TikTok video, a young man can be seen exiting a luxury car while holding a designer bag. In the video caption, he says that in the year 2025, more people have the potential to be millionaires.

“For those who want to be a millionaire, click on the link in bio to learn how to be a financial trader for free,” he adds.

The link in the bio will lead users to a Telegram channel where he says that viewers can become successful traders by investing at least US$100 (RM443) to earn more than US$2,000 (RM8,866) in return through an online platform. He claims that the profit will be transferred into their account in less than two days.

Then he says that he will take a cut of up to 20% from each successful investment.

In another video, a self-proclaimed trader with hundreds of thousands of followers shares that users only need US$100 to start trading and achieve ‘financial freedom’. She recommends a specific broker trading app.

However, a check by LifestyleTech revealed that the recommended platform has been flagged by the Securities Commission under its Investor Alert List in 2024 for “carrying on unlicensed capital market trading activities of dealing in securities”.

Investors are advised not to deal or engage with entities that have been marked under the Alert List as they will not be protected under Malaysia’s securities law.

Unfair warranty policies: Time for stronger consumer protection in Malaysia

2025-04-13T19:32:27+00:00

Despite the existence of the Consumer Protection Act 1999, most consumers don’t realise that such disclaimers may actually violate their basic rights.

Buying a new product should bring peace of mind—not a legal headache. But in Malaysia, the confidence consumers place in warranties is all too often misplaced. From denied claims to ambiguous “no return” policies, many Malaysians are finding out the hard way that warranty protections are weak, uneven, and poorly enforced.

When “warranty” means nothing

You buy a brand-new bed, backed by a one-year warranty.

Within months, it starts falling apart—not from misuse, but from shoddy installation. You show the evidence.

The seller? Ghosts your messages, shrugs off your claim, and stalls until the warranty runs out.

No inspection. No action. Just silence. In the end: no repair, no refund.

Warranty? Worthless. Your money? History.

This isn’t a horror story—it’s a real complaint filed with the National Consumer Complaints Centre (NCCC) in March 2025.

And unfortunately, it’s just one of many stories where "guaranteed peace of mind" turns into a consumer nightmare.

In retail shops and online platforms alike, “No warranty, no return” is still treated as a standard business clause in Malaysia.

And despite the existence of the Consumer Protection Act 1999, most consumers don’t realise that such disclaimers may actually violate their basic rights.