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 vehicleโs ownership was transferred to his wifeโs 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.
โThe vehicle started giving us problems on the second day after it was handed over to us, โโ 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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โBerdikit-dikit, lama-lama menjadi bukitโ, 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 โindah khabar dari rupaโ 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:
โข Penjelasan lanjut berhubung dengan sebab-sebab permohonan pembiayaan daripada institusi kewangan tidak berjaya ;
โข Khidmat nasihat untuk meningkatkan kelayakan bagi permohonan pembiayaan pada masa hadapan; dan
FDA advises consumers not to use hand sanitizer products manufactured by Eskbiochem
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FDA is alerting consumers of Saniderm Products and UVT Inc.โs voluntary recall of Saniderm Advanced Hand Sanitizer. Following FDAโs recommendation, two distributors โ Saniderm Products and UVT โ agreed to recall Saniderm Advanced Hand Sanitizer packaged in 1-liter plastic bottles and labeled with โMade in Mexicoโ and โProduced by: Eskbiochem SA de CV.โ
The UVT hand sanitizer is labeled with lot number 0530 and an expiration date of 04/2022.
The Saniderm Products hand sanitizer is labeled with lot number 53131626 and โManufactured on April/1/20.โ
[6/19/2020] FDA advises consumers not to use any hand sanitizer manufactured by Eskbiochem SA de CV in Mexico, due to the potential presence of methanol (wood alcohol), a substance that can be toxic when absorbed through the skin or ingested.
FDA has identified the following products manufactured by Eskbiochem:
- All-Clean Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-002-01)
- Esk Biochem Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-007-01)
- CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 75% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-008-04)
- Lavar 70 Gel Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-006-01)
- The Good Gel Antibacterial Gel Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-010-10)
- CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 80% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-005-03)
- CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 75% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-009-01)
Read more: FDA advises consumers not to use hand sanitizer products manufactured by Eskbiochem
Pelarasan ICPT pastikan pengguna dapat harga elektrik adil
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KUALA LUMPUR: Keputusan kerajaan melaraskan mekanisme Pelepasan Kos Tidak Seimbang (ICPT) memastikan pengguna mendapat manfaat daripada harga elektrik yang telus dan adil, kata Presiden dan Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB), Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan.
"Kami menyokong keputusan untuk meneruskan ICPT, iaitu satu mekanisme yang begitu bermanfaat kepada industri elektrik sejak 2014 dan ia kekal relevan dalam persekitaran harga bahan api yang tidak menentu.
"Sebagai syarikat utiliti, TNB dikawal selia oleh Suruhanjaya Tenaga (ST) dan beroperasi dalam persekitaran yang terkawal, termasuk oleh mekanisme ICPT. Seperti yang ditetapkan oleh keputusan ST menerusi ICPT, TNB akan memaparkan perubahan pada kos bahan api dan lain-lain kos penjanaan dalam tarif elektrik pada setiap enam bulan," katanya dalam satu kenyataan.
Kerajaan, menerusi surat daripada ST, memberi kelulusan kepada TNB untuk melaksanakan pelarasan ICPT bagi tempoh 1 Julai 2020 hingga 31 Disember 2020.
Dalam tempoh itu, ICPT akan dikurangkan daripada kadar surcaj 2.00 sen/kWh kepada 0.00 sen/kWh.
Pengurangan surcaj ICPT ini disebabkan oleh pengurangan kos bahan bakar sebenar untuk tempoh Januari hingga Jun 2020 berbanding dengan tempoh enam bulan sebelumnya dari Julai hingga Disember 2019.
Read more: Pelarasan ICPT pastikan pengguna dapat harga elektrik adil
Consumers risk bankruptcy if loan moratorium not extended
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Wednesday, July 1st, 2020
CONSUMERS adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic risk facing serious financial issues including bankruptcy if a loan moratorium extension is not granted, said experts.
The pandemic has seen many companies implementing pay cuts and layoffs in order to cope with the Movement Control Order (MCO), which brought many businesses to a sharp halt as only essential sectors were allowed to operate in order to curb the spread of the virus.
The Federation of Malaysian Consumers Association (FOMCA) president Datuk Dr Marimuthu Nadason said individuals and businesses need at least another three months of the loan moratorium, in order to get back on their feet and find employment as the economy slowly recovers.
โFor more than three months, many of them were out of income or had their monthly wages slashed. Some people could not even survive for more than two months when they are out of work,โ he told The Malaysian Reserve (TMR).
โIf the moratorium is not extended, by the first quarter of 2021, some businesses may face bankruptcy and it would also take a toll on younger individuals.โ
Read more: Consumers risk bankruptcy if loan moratorium not extended
Bank dijangka putuskan lanjutan moratorium selepas September
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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,โ 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.
โNamun, kami berpendapat pertumbuhan akan pulih kepada enam peratus tahun depan manakala eksport dijangka meningkat semula kepada tujuh peratus," katanya.
Read more: Bank dijangka putuskan lanjutan moratorium selepas September
Helah Macau Scam, pesara rugi RM3.8 juta
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Selasa, 30 Jun 2020 | 3:31pm
KUALA LUMPUR: Seorang pesara wanita berusia 90 tahun kerugian RM3.83 juta selepas dipercayai menjadi mangsa penipuan sindiket Macau Scam.
Mangsa mula menjadi sasaran selepas menerima panggilan daripada individu mendakwa petugas Pos Laju Malaysia, memaklumkan ada bungkusan dihantar dari Ipoh, Perak ke Sabah mengandungi kad pengenalan dan kad pengeluaran tunai automatik (ATM) atas nama mangsa, pada 13 April lalu.
Panggilan itu kemudian disambungkan kepada dua lelaki lain, masing-masing mendakwa sebagai sarjan dan inspektor polis.
Ketua Polis Daerah Petaling Jaya, Asisten Komisioner Nik Ezanee Mohd Faisal, berkata kedua-dua suspek mendakwa bertugas di Jabatan Siasatan Jenayah Komersial, Ibu Pejabat Polis Kontinjen Perak.
"Mangsa didakwa terbabit dengan sindiket pengubahan wang haram manakala butiran peribadinya kononnya digunakan seorang lelaki berusia 72 tahun, bekas pekerja bank yang sudah ditangkap.
Scam victim sues HSBC for negligence, claims bank should have alerted him of possible fraud
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Tuesday, 30 Jun 2020 01:16 PM MYT
KUALA LUMPUR, June 30 โ A retiree has sued HSBC Bank Malaysia Berhad for negligence, claiming it failed in its duty to advise him against proceeding with transactions that it could have deduced to be fraudulent.
In the suit filed by Messrs Raj, Ong, & Yudistra on June 23 at the High Court here, Lee Cheong Chee, 55, said he lost RM1.06 million and US$255,000 (RM1.09 million) in separate transactions due to being defrauded between late 2019 and September 2017.
He accused the bank of failing to perform its duty of care to him and breaching Bank Negara Malaysiaโs (BNM) directives for local financial institutions to strengthen gatekeeping methods to prevent illegal financial schemes issued in May 2017.
โThe bank in this claim is negligent because it failed to impose safeguards to detect the financial scam and prevent Lee from becoming a victim of financial scams,โ Lee said in the lawsuit.
According to the lawsuit, Lee was tricked into investing in four separate entities โ Bank de Binary, Stoxmarket, Speartrader, and HBC Broker โ after being convinced through phone calls.
He then made 70 transactions to these four entities over 10 months, in deposits ranging from
RM1,146 to RM68,965 and from US$30,000 to US$80,000 for those made in dollars.
All transactions were either made with Leeโs credit cards, or wired online through his debit account. Lee has repaid all the credit card usage in full.
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