'Scammer online' menjadi-jadi
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November 12, 2021 @ 7:00am
Kuala Lumpur: Sebanyak 8,162 kes penipuan e-dagang dengan kerugian berjumlah RM57.73 juta dilaporkan di seluruh negara sepanjang tahun ini hingga 31 Oktober lalu.
Pegawai Penyiasat (Pelaburan Bersindiket atau Lain-lain Jenayah) Jabatan Siasatan Jenayah dan Komersial (JSJK) Bukit Aman Asisten Komisioner Mohd Sa'adon Sabirin berkata, trend penipuan e-dagang dilaporkan terus meningkat jika dibandingkan pada 2018 dengan 3,318 kes membabitkan kerugian berjumlah RM22.39 juta.
"Keadaan bertambah teruk pada 2020 apabila pandemik Covid-19 melanda yang mana 5,848 kes penipuan e-dagang dilaporkan apabila lebih ramai orang membeli dalam talian.
"Statistik ini adalah melibatkan mereka yang ditipu dan membuat laporan namun saya percaya masih ada tidak membuat laporan polis," katanya pada sesi webinar Penipuan e-dagang: Barang Hilang, Duit Melayang anjuran Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), malam kelmarin.
Mohd Sa'adon berkata, jumlah keseluruhan kerugian dicatatkan bagi penipuan e-dagang untuk tempoh 2018 hingga Oktober lalu adalah bernilai RM149 juta.
Beliau berkata, rakyat Malaysia terdedah kepada penipuan e-dagang berikutan peningkatan trend pembelian dalam talian secara tidak langsung boleh menjadi mangsa penipuan jika tidak berhati-hati ketika membuat urusan jual beli.
Pada masa sama, beliau meminta agar mangsa penipuan e-dagang untuk membuat laporan polis bagi membolehkan maklumat dan data berkaitan scammer dikumpul untuk tindakan selanjutnya.
Display prices of food items clearly to avoid confusion among consumers - FOMCA
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KUALA LUMPUR: Food traders and restaurant operators are advised to display clear price lists and descriptions of items for sale at their outlets to prevent confusion among consumers.
Federation of Malaysian Consumer Associations (Fomca) deputy president Mohd Yusof Abdul Rahman said most customers did not understand or were unclear about the prices displayed at restaurants, especially involving the sale of wet goods such as fish.
โUsually, wet items such as fish are sold in grammes, but the weight of the fish can often reach more than one kilogramme which can lead to confusion as customers have to calculate the actual price themselves.
โThat is why there must be a price tag and a clear explanation so that customers understand how the price is calculated before making a decision,โ he said when contacted by Bernama today.
Mohd Yusof also said communication between traders and customers was very important in addressing the issue of confusion.
โTraders need to weigh the wet items in front of the customer and announce the price so that customers can decide to place an order or not,โ he said.
Meanwhile, Head of the Department of Business Management and Entrepreneurship, Faculty of Management and Economics, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) Assoc Prof Dr Zuraidah Zainol said consumers usually have a perception that the price of fish offered at restaurants is the same as in the market.
She opined that customers should do some โsurveyโ on the restaurants they intend to visit to avoid misunderstanding, especially on the price of food items.
Read more: Display prices of food items clearly to avoid confusion among consumers - FOMCA
Check food prices at restaurants before ordering, says Fomca
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November 6, 2021 @ 4:10pm
KUALA LUMPUR: Consumers should check the prices of wet and dry foods at restaurants or eating outlets carefully, including estimating the total price before the purchase, said Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca).
Its deputy president Mohd Yusof Abdul Rahman said consumers could always report to the relevant authorities if they find the charges unreasonable.
He said price manipulation was not something new, particularly with wet goods, as the prices were often displayed in grammes instead of kilogrammes.
"It's a norm that we eat first and pay later, so much so that many people do not look at the price and often think that the price will not be much different at the restaurant that they regularly go.
"The issue of excessive charges should be a reminder for consumers to always get the price before they start their meals because the operators have played their part in displaying the prices, although the price maybe confusing as it is stated in gms instead of kgs," he told BH today.
Langkawi Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs department had initiated an investigation under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011 after a group of tourists took to the social media complaining they paid RM1,196 for a sea bass at a restaurant in Langkawi.
Read more: Check food prices at restaurants before ordering, says Fomca
URUS programme to assist B50 borrowers who have lost jobs, income โ BNM
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KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 14): Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) welcomes the Financial Management & Resilience Programme (URUS) by Agensi Kaunseling dan Pengurusan Kredit (AKPK) and the banking industry, which seeks to aid B50 borrowers with performing loans who have lost their jobs or who are experiencing income loss of at least 50%.
In a statement on Thursday, the central bank said eligible borrowers who wish to apply for the programme can approach their banks starting from Nov 15, 2021 to Jan 31, 2022.
"BNM has been working with AKPK to put in place a holistic debt management and financial planning solution. The aim is to provide appropriate support to borrowers so that they not only meet their loan obligations but importantly, return to a firmer financial footing.
"This will strengthen the financial resilience of borrowers in the longer term," said governor Datuk Nor Shamsiah Mohd Yunus.
Meanwhile, the central bank also encouraged those that are not eligible for URUS to also approach their banks to discuss other repayment solutions that suit their financial circumstances.
It said borrowers and customers facing any difficulty with their applications may contact BNMTELELINK at bnm.my/RAsurvey to seek assistance, and that they may obtain more information on the new scheme by visiting banks' and AKPK's websites.
There will be further enhancements to BNM's Fund for SMEs in the Budget 2022, added the bank, targeted at assisting businesses in their cash flow management and reposition themselves with the reopening of the economy.
Read more: URUS programme to assist B50 borrowers who have lost jobs, income โ BNM
'Ikat kontrak dengan pengeluar, penternak ayam'
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September 28, 2021 @ 3:13pm
KUALA LUMPUR: Kerajaan disaran menetapkan kontrak bersama pengeluar atau penternak ayam sebagai antara langkah penyelesaian mengawal mekanisme harga yang dilihat turun naik secara bermusim setiap tahun.
Pada masa sama, Timbalan Presiden Gabungan Persatuan-Persatuan Pengguna Malaysia (FOMCA), Mohd Yusof Abdul Rahman, berkata katanya, subsidi yang disediakan perlu diteruskan.
"Isu kenaikan harga ayam di pasaran bukan perkara asing, malah kerap dipersoalkan pengguna hingga menjadikannya seolah-olah trend bermusim.
"Pelbagai langkah boleh diambil pihak berkaitan seperti menetapkan harga ayam dalam tempoh tertentu termasuk kontrak menetapkan harga bahan dedak seperti jagung dan kacang soya, di samping mengadakan perjanjian bersama penternak serta peladang," katanya kepada BH, hari ini.
Beliau mengulas kenyataan berhubung kesediaan pihak industri menurunkan harga ayam di peringkat pengeluar atau peladang bagi membolehkan pengguna mendapatkan bekalan bahan makanan itu dengan harga berpatutan.
Mohd Yusof berkata, pelaksanaan cadangan Kementerian Perdagangan Dalam Negeri dan Hal Ehwal Pengguna (KPDNHEP) serta Kementerian Pertanian dan Industri Makanan akan (MAFI) memanfaatkan semua pihak.
"Cadangan termasuk pemberian kemudahan pinjaman mudah bagi membantu industri mengekalkan jumlah pengeluaran ayam mencukupi perlu disegerakan, termasuk memastikan subsidi harga komponen makanan ayam yang diimport," katanya.
Consumers to lose out if travel booking platforms regulated: Fomca
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26 Sep 2021 10:00AM
President says competition among agencies means better deals for customers
KUALA LUMPUR โ Consumers will be the ones at a loss if the government takes up the call by budget hoteliers to regulate online travel booking platforms.
Federation of Malaysian Consumersโ Associations (Fomca) president Datuk Marimuthu Nadason said online travel agencies (OTAs) now give consumers the benefit of choice, unlike in the past.
Competition among the various platforms means cheaper bookings for hotel rooms, as rival companies attempt to outdo one another.
Citing an example, Marimuthu said before the existence of OTAs, directly booking a single nightโs stay at a five-star hotel could cost around RM600.
โBut with these online platforms, you see that sometimes, there are promotions of up to 50% off the original rate,โ he told The Vibes.
โThrough these agencies, itโs easier to check if prices are lower during non-peak periods like weekdays,โ he said, adding that consumers also have the option of comparing the prices offered by the different service providers.
He was responding to a proposal from the Malaysia Budget and Business Hotel Association for the government to regulate OTAs on the grounds that these booking agencies are eating into their profits.
Read more: Consumers to lose out if travel booking platforms regulated: Fomca
CADANGAN MENURUNKAN HARGA SET UJI RTK COVID-19 KENA PADA MASANYA.
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26/09/2021
KOTA KINABALU: Pertubuhan Hal Ehwal dan Pelindung Pengguna Sabah (CAPS) menyambut baik cadangan kerajaan menurunkan harga siling untuk Kit Ujian Kendiri (RTK) Antigen COVID-19 yang menggunakan sampel air liur.
Penurunan harga set RTK ini amat dialu-alukan kerana inilah masa yang sesuai untuk kerajaan memperlihat dan membuktikan keprihatinannya kepada rakyat yang selama ini tertekan dengan kegawatan kewangan untuk kelansungan hidup mereka.
Presidennya, James Baga (gambar), berkata dengan penurunan harga siling alat set kit tersebut sudah pasti membawa berita baik kepada masyarakat pengguna kerana secara tidak langsung ianya dapat meringankan beban kerana alat set tersebut dapat diperolehi dengan harga mampu milik.
Selain itu katanya, CAPS mencadangkan kepada kerajaan agar membenarkan penjualan set uji kendiri RTK ini dijual secara terbuka dan bukannya terhad kepada kedai-kedai ubat dan farmasi.
โSelain memudahkan orang awam untuk mendapatkannya, ianya juga secara tidak lansung dapat menurun dan menstabilkan harga kerana terdapat persaingan harga antara pembekal, pemborong atau peruncit dalam pasaran.
โDisamping itu, Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia ฯใฝถสำฦต) juga perlu menyenaraikan jenama set uji kendiri RTK yang diluluskan agar pengguna mendapat maklumat tepat dan sahih untuk mengelakkan mereka terbeli ujian kit yang tiruan dan tidak berkualiti,โ katanya dalam kenyataan media hari ini.
Read more: CADANGAN MENURUNKAN HARGA SET UJI RTK COVID-19 KENA PADA MASANYA.
Where every dial-in matters
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Wednesday, 22 Sep 2021
THIS year alone, the Federation of Malaysian Consumers Association (Fomca) has so far received approximately 70 complaints about telephone calls to public and private organisations going unanswered.
Its senior manager Baskaran Sithamparam said this made many callers frustrated and even angry.
As many are working from home, consumers are finding it hard to contact organisations to address their problems.
In his attempts to assist complainants, Baskaran said he too was unsuccessful when calling one organisation.
โThis organisation had three phone lines, yet no one picked up,โ he said.
A majority of the complaints were levelled at the private sector, as consumers wanted to make appointments and enquire about various matters.
Though some organisations have chatbots in place, consumers say not all issues can be answered by automated responses.
โSome issues can only be solved when a service consultant is present at the other end of the line.
โSo, organisations must make this service available.
โIf not, at least provide the email address of a person who can handle the issue,โ said Baskaran.
Sales and leadership consultant Valentino Lee said nothing damages an organisationโs reputation faster than an unanswered phone call.
All sanitiser guns must come with warning label, says Fomca
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September 22, 2021 8:54 AM
GEORGE TOWN: All sanitiser guns should carry warning labels to remind users that the liquid should not be sprayed on people, a consumer advocate said today, following warnings from experts on its adverse effects on health.
The health ministry, too, has warned about the ill-effects of the contents of such sprays, typically bleach, when it comes into contact with the skin or is inhaled.
Yesterday, health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said such sprays from sanitiser guns can be used for surface cleaning but that manual wipe downs were still the best way to disinfect surfaces.
Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) president Marimuthu Nadason said that besides clear warning labels, the government should keep a close eye on those selling the nano-mist sanitiser guns online or in shops.
He said there were listings that showed false claims such as it being safe to use on human bodies and that certification had been obtained from the health ministry and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States.
Speaking to FMT, Marimuthu said the types of chemicals being sold together with these devices must be monitored, as it might be a lethal mix.
He said that online shopping malls should also carry warnings above all listings and remove those that carry false claims.
Marimuthu added that sellers must carry important specifications, such as chemical type, how it should be stored, and other safety requirements in a clearly visible portion of the online malls selling the sanitiser guns and chemicals.
He called for the domestic trade and consumer affairs ministry, along with the health ministry, to order these online malls to do so and at the same time check online listings to spot offenders.
Read more: All sanitiser guns must come with warning label, says Fomca
Call to punish water polluters
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Sunday, 05 Sep 2021
PETALING JAYA: After two water supply interruptions in the Klang Valley within a week, the Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) is calling for stern action against polluters and for a water bill discount to be offered.
Its chief executive officer T. Saravanan said the unscheduled water cuts within days of each other were unacceptable and consumer frustration was palpable all over social media.
โConsumers are becoming the victim of these culprits. We want justice and those who are responsible must be apprehended.
โRaw water protection is very important and all stakeholders must take initiatives to protect it.
โThe authorities must carry out an investigation and take stern action to curb these problems,โ he said.
Saravanan said some payment waivers from the utility company or the state government should be considered due to the inconvenience faced by consumers.
On Aug 31, a total of 463 areas in the Klang Valley experienced an unscheduled water cut due to odour pollution.
The pollution was detected at the water intake for the Jenderam Hilir raw water pump station, leading to a temporary shutdown of the Semenyih water treatment plant.
Water supply in the affected areas was fully restored by Sept 2.
On Sept 3, the Sungai Semenyih treatment plant had to be shut down following another odour pollution detected in the raw water source.
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