Offer 50% rebate for flood damage to vehicles, Fomca tells insurance firms
- Details
December 26, 2021 3:38 PM
PETALING JAYA: A consumer activist has called for insurance companies to offer 50% rebates on repair costs of vehicles affected by the recent floods.
Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) president Marimuthu Nadason told FMT that this rebate could be considered as a corporate social responsibility (CSR) project of the insurance companies.
โMany vehicles have been found to be uninsured for natural disasters like floods. Up to 95% of vehicle owners wonโt receive any compensation for repair costs.
โInsurance companies should look into such cases as long as they are insured with them,โ he said.
Marimuthu highlighted several reasons why vehicle owners had overlooked insuring their cars against natural disasters.
โFirstly, the majority of Malaysians are not aware that insurance policies offer optional cover for natural disasters like flooding.
โSecondly, insurance companies have failed to advise vehicle buyers about this coverage before they purchase their policies.
โLastly, floods are becoming more rampant and Malaysians, more specifically from Selangor, have underestimated their severity.โ
Marimuthu said Fomca intended to send a letter to Bank Negara and the government to intervene by getting insurance companies to promote policies on natural disasters to the public.
Previously, the General Insurance Association of Malaysia (PIAM) and the Malaysian Takaful Association (MTA) had advised vehice owners affected by the floods to contact their respective agents for further advice and clarification if they were planning to make any claims.
Read more: Offer 50% rebate for flood damage to vehicles, Fomca tells insurance firms
One-off 100% power bill rebate for flood victims
- Details
December 26, 2021 2:59 PM
HULU LANGAT: Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) will give a one-off 100% rebate for December electricity bills to domestic customers affected by floods, said Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
He said a total of 72,000 domestic customers would benefit from the rebate.
โThis doesnโt involve factories, it is only for houses. As an extension of the various assistance given so far, there will be a rebate on the December electricity bill.
โI have also asked TNB to help B40 homes affected by the floods when the electricity supply is reconnected,โ he told a press conference after visiting areas affected by the floods in Hulu Langat, including in Taman Sri Nanding and Kampung Dusun Tua, where cleanup work was in progress, here today.
He said the energy company had been carrying out free wiring inspections at flood-affected houses in Selangor, Pahang and Kuala Lumpur since last Friday.
Apart from that, Ismail said Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (Perodua) would provide free towing service for Perodua vehicles based on the vehiclesโ insurance coverage.
He said Perodua had agreed to forego labour charges to repair and service vehicles sent to its service centres and would offer a 50% discount on spare parts.
โI understand that finance minister Tengku Zafrul Tengku Aziz will negotiate again with other car companies such as Proton.
โI hope other companies can emulate what Perodua is doing,โ he said.
Ismail said the government would increase the initial allocation of RM100 million to repair flood-damaged houses and infrastructure.
Local councils need post-flood waste management system
- Details
December 25, 2021 @ 4:56pm
KUALA LUMPUR: The aftermath of the massive flood that struck several states in the country since last week was devastating and in its aftermath, floodwater damage as well mud-soaked household items are no longer of use, with all now left piled up to be thrown away.
The Consumers' Association of Penang (CAP) Education Officer N. V. Subbarow said local councils in the respective states must have a proper post-flood waste management system, in the face of the annual inundation.
"Since this (floodings) has become an annual affair affecting the people, the councils must come up with proper waste management system.
"The post-flood garbage is huge and they have to clear it within a short period. Almost nothing can be recycled, mattresses, and others, all will pile up in landfills.
"They should have proper plans and active it whenever needed," he told the New Straits Times today.
He said local councils should set up more bulk rubbish disposal bins in housing estates and frequent collection intervals to reduce more waste being dumped outside their home.
Subbarow also suggested for waste segregation for more effective waste management.
Several states including Selangor, Kelantan and Pahang were hit with massive floods displacing thousands from their homes since last week.
While heavy downpours and outdated drainage were blamed for the flood, Subbarow believes the dumping of plastics also contributed to the inundation.
There are instances where plastic waste dumped had clogged-up rivers and drains.
Read more: Local councils need post-flood waste management system
Bank patut serap caj transaksi RM1
- Details
Disember 17, 2021 @ 5:42pm
KUALA LUMPUR: Institusi perbankan disaran menyerap dan menanggung caj transaksi pengeluaran RM1 menerusi mesin pengeluaran wang automatik (ATM) bagi memastikan pengguna dapat menikmati perkhidmatan itu tanpa bayaran.
Timbalan Presiden Gabungan Persatuan-persatuan Pengguna Malaysia (FOMCA), Mohd Yusof Abdul Rahman, berkata penyerapan caj RM1 oleh pihak bank untuk pengguna disifatkan relevan kerana institusi itu masih merekodkan keuntungan sepanjang pelaksanaan perintah kawalan pergerakan (PKP) lalu.
"Kita maklum bahawa caj RM1 itu adalah sebagai kos pengurusan dan bayaran perkhidmatan kepada sistem MEPS. Namun, disebabkan bank masih memperoleh keuntungan, jadi institusi itu boleh menyerap kos terbabit bagi pihak pengguna.
"Sekurang-kurangnya caj itu diserap pihak bank sehingga keadaan ekonomi bertambah baik, dijangka bagi tempoh enam bulan lagi," katanya kepada BH.
Sebelum ini, beberapa bank, termasuk Maybank, Bank Islam Malaysia Bhd, CIMB Bank, RHB Bank, Citibank dan HSBC memuat naik notis di platform media sosial masing-masing mengenai keputusan untuk mengenakan semula caj pengeluaran RM1 menerusi ATM, berkuat kuasa 1 Februari tahun depan.
Mohd Yusof berkata, pihak bank juga sepatutnya menyerap caj transaksi dalam talian bagi menggalakkan lebih ramai pengguna menjalankan urus niaga bank tanpa fizikal.
"Ini kerana apabila kita menggunakan urus niaga secara dalam talian, pihak perbankan sudah banyak menjimatkan kos dalam aspek penggunaan tenaga kerja," katanya.
Sementara itu, Setiausaha Agung Persatuan Institusi-Institusi Kewangan Pembangunan Malaysia (ADFIM), Mohd Prasad Hanif, berkata caj RM1 itu dikenakan bank bagi menampung kos perkhidmatan daripada teknologi yang digunakan itu.
A dent in vehicular insurance
- Details
December 13, 2021 @ 12:03am
LETTERS: The Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) has received numerous calls about vehicular insurance.
One peculiar case is whenever an accident happens โ that is, when a victim's car is knocked by another driver โ by law, both parties must lodge police reports.
This will enable the victims to claim from the offenders' insurance in the event the offenders do not want to pay for the damage.
Unfortunately, some offenders do not lodge reports, making it difficult for victims to claim the insurance.
Until and unless the offenders make a report, only then can the victims claim from the offenders' insurance, or else they have to claim from their own insurance.
In this event, the victims will lose their No-Claim Discount, which is unfair.
Why do victims have to go through this agony for others' mistakes?
This was what consumers said of the dilemma they are facing as they are not protected by law.
Once reports are lodged, police must take action against perpetrators and release their names to the media.
If this is done, people will be afraid to face the law and vehicle owners will be protected.
KPI capai 90%? Tunjuk butirannya, PM diberitahu
- Details
December 11, 2021 1:02 PM
PETALING JAYA: Perdana Menteri Ismail Sabri Yaakob mencetuskan beberapa persoalan dan kritikan apabila mengumumkan pentadbirannya memperoleh 90% dalam petunjuk prestasi utama (KPI) yang ditetapkan kerajaannya bagi 100 hari pertama.
Presiden Persekutuan Persatuan Pengguna Malaysia (FOMCA), N Marimuthu, berkata, kerajaan menilai sendiri prestasinya adalah tidak masuk akal.
Bercakap kepada FMT, beliau berkata: โRakyat yang sepatutnya memberi markah. Macam mana kerajaan yang menetapkan kertas soalannya, menandanya, dan kata dapat markah A+?โ
Menarik perhatian kepada isu kenaikan harga makanan, Marimuthu berkata kerajaan harus ingat bahawa โrakyat adalah rajaโ dan pandangan mereka mengenai prestasi kerajaan perlu diambil kira.
Pengarah Eksekutif Pusat Membanteras Rasuah dan Kronisme (C4), Cynthia Gabriel, juga berkata adalah pelik kerajaan melakukan pemarkahan kendiri dan mendakwa telah mencapai skor KPI 90%.
C4 tertanya bagaimana Ismail mendapat peratusan itu dan menggesa Perdana Menteri menghebahkan butiran kad laporan supaya orang ramai boleh menilainya.
Ahli Parlimen Subang, Wong Chen, dari PKR menggesa 140 sasaran utama yang dikatakan telah dicapai kerajaan itu diterbitkan.
โSaya ragu-ragu dengan dakwaan itu kerana saya tidak merasakan ekonomi keseluruhan kini jauh lebih baik daripada 100 hari lalu,โ katanya.
Attempts to stop price regulation of medicines
- Details
10 Dec 2021 6:43PM
Medicines are not a commodity to be based solely on supply and demand. Medicines saves lives. It is essential for the survival and recovery of consumers.
Medicines cannot be dealt with as other commodities; that is the reason medicine affordability is under the Ministry of Health and not any other trade Ministry.
Medicine is a critical consumer right. It should be never be dealt with based on how much profits the seller makes.
A market review on the pharmaceutical sector was undertaken by the Malaysia Competition Commission.
According to the report, โMalaysian drug prices are high by international standardsโ. It appears that the pharmaceutical companies in Malaysia are making exorbitant profits by international standards.
In another study, it was found that โMalaysia has average higher retail prescription prices compared to Australia due to the lack of pharmaceutical regulationโ.
Further according to the Pharmaceutical Services Programme, Ministry of Health Malaysia (2018) on Medicines Prices Monitoring Malaysia (2017), wholesale medicine prices in Malaysia are eight times greater than the International Reference Price (IRP).
Further in a 2019 study by the University of Malaya, it was revealed that 72% of cancer patients experienced financial catastrophe during the first year of treatment in private hospitals, while one third of households became impoverished.
It is for sure that Big Pharma would want to maintain their excessive profits.
That is why the Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) has been consistently engaging with the Ministry of Health on the issue of medicine price affordability and price regulation.
Henti tuntutan insurans tak adil, kerajaan diberitahu
- Details
December 10, 2021 6:59 PM
PETALING JAYA: Persekutuan Persatuan-persatuan Pengguna Malaysia (FOMCA) menarik perhatian terhadap pemandu yang terpaksa membuat tuntutan daripada insurans sendiri dalam kemalangan walaupun pihak lain yang bersalah.
CEO FOMCA, Saravanan Thambirajah berkata sekiranya dua kereta berlanggar, kedua-dua pihak mesti membuat laporan polis.
Namun beliau berkata, lazimnya hanya satu pihak membuat laporan polis manakala satu lagi tidak, seterusnya boleh terlepas daripada dikesan.
โHanya jika pelaku itu membuat laporan polis, barulah mangsa boleh menuntut insurans orang itu, jika tidak mereka terpaksa menggunakan insurans sendiri.
โDalam keadaan itu, mangsa akan kehilangan bonus tanpa tuntutan (NCB) dan ini amatlah tidak adil. Kenapa mangsa perlu melalui kesusahan ini semata-mata kesilapan orang lain?โ katanya dalam kenyataan hari ini.
Saravanan berkata, satu lagi isu penting melibatkan pemandu tanpa insurans kereta sah yang juga boleh terlepas daripada dipertanggungjawabkan.
Katanya, golongan itu boleh membaharui insurans tahunan tanpa dipertanggungjawabkan bagi tuntutan kemalangan terdahulu.
Saravanan berkata polis wajar mewujudkan agensi berasingan untuk mengendalikan kes kemalangan kerana berdepan ratusan kes seperti itu setiap hari.
Katanya, Bank Negara Malaysia selaku pengawal selia syarikat insurans juga perlu membetulkan keadaan ini dengan segera.
โLangkah tegas perlu diambil untuk mengekang keadaan ini sebelum lebih ramai pengguna jalan raya yang tidak bersalah menjadi mangsa kelopongan undang-undang dan pemandu yang tidak bertanggungjawab.
โPesalah mesti dihukum, dan mangsa yang tidak berdosa perlu dilindungi menerusi insurans, tanpa kehilangan NCB.โ
Sumber:
FOMCA cadang Jualan Keluarga Malaysia setiap minggu
- Details
Disember 1, 2021 @ 5:40pm
KUALA LUMPUR: Gabungan Persatuan-persatuan Pengguna Malaysia (FOMCA) mencadangkan program Jualan Keluarga Malaysia yang bermula Sabtu ini diadakan setiap minggu bagi memastikan orang ramai sentiasa mendapat bekalan pada harga murah.
Beliau berkata program yang menawarkan barangan keperluan asas sehingga 20 peratus lebih murah berbanding pasaran membantu mengurangkan beban rakyat.
Timbalan Presiden FOMCA, Mohd Yusof Abdul Rahman, berkata usaha Kementerian Perdagangan Dalam Negeri dan Hal Ehwal Pengguna (KPDNHEP) itu membolehkan orang ramai mendapatkan bekalan dengan harga berpatutan.
"Diharap harga barangan keperluan ditawarkan itu adalah harga sebelum kenaikan harga barangan ketika ini, supaya pengguna dapat menikmati harga yang lebih murah.
"Adalah lebih baik jika program itu dapat diadakan setiap minggu bagi memastikan orang ramai sentiasa mendapatkan bekalan dengan harga lebih murah," katanya kepada BH.
Program Jualan Keluarga Malaysia akan diadakan di 222 kawasan Parlimen dengan kekerapan dua kali sebulan.
Beliau turut menyambut baik tindakan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob mengarahkan bekalan ayam import dan ikan sejuk beku yang disimpan sebagai stok di bawah program Q'Fish dilambakkan di pasaran sebagai langkah segera menstabilkan harga.
Katanya, langkah itu mampu membantu orang ramai mendapatkan bekalan pada bila-bila masa dengan harga yang berpatutan.
"Dalam keadaan musim tengkujuh ketika ini, ikan sukar diperoleh dan jika ada sudah pasti mahal. Jadi dengan adanya stok ikan sejuk beku, orang ramai tidak perlu bimbang membeli ikan pada harga yang mahal," katanya.
Sumber:
Lambakan ayam import bantu stabilkan harga ayam - FOMCA
- Details
Disember 5, 2021 @ 12:00pm
KUALA LUMPUR: Pengguna mempunyai pilihan sama ada mendapatkan bekalan ayam segar atau sejuk beku selepas kerajaan mengumumkan kemasukan bekalan ayam import sehingga 10,000 tan atau 5.5 juta ekor sebulan, bagi tempoh bulan ini hingga Februari tahun depan.
Timbalan Presiden Gabungan Persatuan Pengguna Malaysia (FOMCA), Mohd Yusof Abdul Rahman, berkata inisiatif kerajaan melalui Kementerian Pertanian dan Industri Makanan (MAFI) itu disambut baik selepas kekurangan bekalan ayam dalam pasaran secara purata 18 peratus bagi Oktober dan bulan lalu yang berlarutan ke bulan ini.
Katanya, langkah itu wajar diambil kerajaan bagi menangani masalah kekurangan bekalan ayam di pasaran, selain kenaikan harga jika stok tidak mencukupi.
"Kekurangan bekalan ayam tempatan boleh mengakibatkan harga di pasaran meningkat dan ini menimbulkan isu kepada pengguna, ditambah lagi ayam adalah antara bekalan makanan yang mendapat permintaan tinggi.
"Kita melihat ini sebagai satu langkah wajar diambil kerajaan, malah penetapan Skim Harga Maksimum Keluarga Malaysia iaitu RM9.30 sekilogram memberi pilihan kepada pengguna untuk membeli," katanya kepada BH, hari ini.
Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, Rabu lalu berkata, kerajaan akan membawa masuk antara 200 hingga 300 kontena ayam sejuk beku dari luar negara seawal minggu depan memberi pilihan harga lebih murah berbanding ayam segar dari ladang.
Katanya, negara sumber bekalan ayam import itu akan diputuskan MAFI kerana terdapat banyak pilihan sama ada dari China atau Thailand.
Keperluan ayam dalam negara sebanyak 3,762 tan (2.09 juta ekor) sehari atau 113,220 tan (62.9 juta ekor) sebulan.
Read more: Lambakan ayam import bantu stabilkan harga ayam - FOMCA
Page 50 of 110
