Water cut in 463 areas in Klang Valley due to pollution
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August 31, 2021 2:24 PM
PETALING JAYA: Some 463 areas in five regions in the Klang Valley will be facing unscheduled water cuts after odour pollution was detected at a pump station this morning.
In a statement, Air Selangor corporate communications head Elina Baseri said the Sungai Semenyih water treatment plant was shut down at 11.10am after odour pollution was detected at the Jenderam Hilir raw water pump station.
Some 172 areas in Petaling, 194 in Sepang, 54 in Hulu Langat, 23 in Putrajaya and 20 in Kuala Langat will be affected by the water disruption.
โConsumers can get the list of areas affected by this water supply disruption through the Air Selangor website as well as the Air Selangor mobile app,โ she said.
Elina said Air Selangor has activated its emergency response plan following the disruption to provide water supply to affected consumers.
She added that the company understood consumersโ need for clean water, especially with the surge in Covid-19 cases, and will do all it can to minimise the impact of the disruption.
โAir Selangor will provide updates progressively from time to time through all mediums, especially the mass media.
โEnquiries and complaints can be submitted to the Help Centre via the website and the app,โ she said.
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Rugi lebih RM11,000 terpedaya panggilan scammer
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Ogos 27, 2021 10:55 MYT
KUANTAN: Seorang pelajar di sebuah institusi pengajian tinggi membuat laporan polis mendakwa adiknya menjadi mangsa sindiket penipuan hingga mendorong keluarga membuat bayaran lebih RM11,000.
Pengadu berusia 24 tahun menerima panggilan daripada adiknya yang berusia 22 tahun pada Khamis meminta wang untuk membayar kos penginapan tempat kerja selepas diminta berbuat demikian oleh pengurusnya di Kuala Lumpur.
Ketua Jabatan Siasatan Jenayah Komersial Pahang, Superintendan Mohd Wazir Mohd Yusof berkata, mangsa membantu adiknya itu dengan membuat bayaran dengan jumlah keseluruhan RM6,847 melalui sebuah akaun bank atas nama seorang lelaki yang diberikan adiknya itu.
Menurutnya, pada petang hari sama, adik pengadu menghubungi ibunya pula untuk meminta wang tambahan bagi tujuan sama.
โKira-kira jam 5 petang pada hari berkenaan, ibu pengadu ke bank dan memindahkan wang ke akaun sama berjumlah RM4,336.
โPada hari berikutnya, pengadu dihubungi adiknya memberitahu bahawa wang yang diminta bukan untuk penginapan sebaliknya dia menjadi mangsa panggilan sindiket penipuan,โ katanya dalam kenyataan pada Jumaat.
Mohd Wazir berkata, susulan kejadian, pengadu membuat laporan polis di Balai Bolis Mentakab pada Khamis.
โKes disiasat mengikut Seksyen 420 Kanun Keseksaan,โ katanya.
*Berita asal di Sinar Harian
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Covid should force re-think on social protection reform
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August 25, 2021 @ 5:37pm
LETTERS: Social protection includes policies, programmes and measures aimed at ensuring a basic standard of living for a nation's people and protecting people against major shocks such as serious illnesses, injury and unemployment.
The covid pandemic which certainly seriously damaged people's livelihood has severely tested the current social protection policies. Bank Negara would suggest that there are three components of social protection โ social safety nets, social insurance and labour market policies.
Social safety nets aim to ensure basic needs are met: Example food, housing, health and education as well as eradicating poverty. The forms of social safety net include cash transfers, as well as in-kind benefits such as public hospitals and schools.
During Covid, the Rakyat Stimulus Packages were introduced to assist workers affected by the pandemic. Direct cash assistance of one-off RM500 to RM1,600 (under the Bantuan Prihatin Nasional) and cash assistance of one off RM350 to RM1,800 (Banuan Prihatin Rakyat) were given to those affected.
The Poverty Line Wage in Malaysia is RM2,208 per month, with RM1,169 for food and RM1,038 for non-food items. Further according to Bank Negara Malaysia living wage in Kuala Lumpur for single, childless couples and couples with two children are at RM2,700, RM4,500 and RM6,500 respectively.
Thus, clearly the assistance provided is substantially below the poverty line or the living wage. Thus, the support is for families and households is clearly inadequate.
Read more: Covid should force re-think on social protection reform
โMake testing kits more affordableโ
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Wednesday, 25 Aug 2021
PETALING JAYA: Covid-19 self-test kits should be made more affordable with the government subsidising the cost or giving them free to those from low-income families, say consumer and health groups.
The governmentโs efforts of encouraging the public to self-test for Covid-19 is lauded by consumer groups, but the self-test kits should cost less.
Federation of Malaysian Consumers Association president Datuk Dr Marimuthu Nadason said the government should subsidise the cost of the self-tests kit as not everyone can afford them.
โImagine a family of five, when they need to undergo the test, they need to fork out almost RM100 for everyone in the family.
"The government should do everything possible to help the rakyat, including giving subsidies for the kits, or even giving them free to the underprivileged,โ Dr Marimuthu said.
He suggests that the home testing kits be sold for as low as RM10.
Currently, there are 12 self-test kits that are approved by the Malaysian Device Authority (MDA) in the market, costing between RM28 and RM41.
In Singapore, according to a report by The Straits Times, the cost of self-test kits ranges from S$10 (RM31) to S$13 (RM40), while in South Korea, the self-test kits, which are available for purchase through online shopping platforms, cost as low as 9,000 won (RM32).
Wrong to amend development plans after signing S&P, rules court
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August 25, 2021 7:30 AM
JOHOR BAHRU: Amending development plans after the sale and purchase agreement is signed is a breach of the contract, the High Court has ruled in a class action brought against a developer by 145 buyers of luxury condominium units here.
In its decision handed out on Monday, the court agreed with the purchasers of condominium units at Princess Cove that the developer ought to have obtained their consent before amending the original plan of Phase 1 in the S&P into Phase 1a and 1b.
Under Phase 1, there were supposed to be seven blocks together with a shopping mall. However, after the amendment, only three residential blocks were completed first without the others as stated in the S&P.
The court also concurred with the plaintiffs that the handing over of vacant possession in October 2017, claiming the certificate of completion and compliance (fitness for occupation) was obtained for Phase 1a, was in breach of the S&P and, therefore, the developer has to pay late delivery charges.
It also ruled that the 13 monthsโ maintenance charges paid before the actual completion by the buyers as per the S&P in November 2018 have to be returned.
Judicial commissioner Evrol Mariette Peters, in delivering her decision, agreed with the buyers that the developer, R&F Development Sdn Bhd, had deprived them of late delivery penalty by amending the original development plan.
According to the counsel for the purchasers, NG Vinod, his firm will now proceed with the filing of the assessment for damages with the High Court soon, adding that the claims could total about RM10 million.
Read more: Wrong to amend development plans after signing S&P, rules court
CAP: Don't be duped by fake meat
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August 24, 2021 @ 2:05pm
GEORGE TOWN: The Consumers' Association of Penang (CAP) has urged authorities to prohibit the sale of fake meat in view of the potential harm related to its consumption.
According to CAP president Mohideen Abdul Kader, fake meat may seem like a dream come true for meat-conscious eaters, but it falls short of the hype.
"It is a processed products that is nutritionally inferior to real meat. The idea of eating less meat is a worthy one, but swapping it out for plant-based alternatives is not healthy as perceived.
"Consumers should not be duped into it," he said today.
Mohideen said, lately, Malaysians were being gobbled up by a meaty scandal.
He said many were rightfully livid, demanding justice be meted out to the unethical individuals who had been feeding Malaysians fake Halal meat that is not Halal or may have been mixed with diseased kangaroo and horse meat.
Mohideen said, lately, Malaysians were being gobbled up by a meaty scandal.
He said many were rightfully livid, demanding justice be meted out to the unethical individuals who had been feeding Malaysians fake Halal meat that is not Halal or may have been mixed with diseased kangaroo and horse meat.
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Many ways to raise purchasing power
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Tuesday, 24 Aug 2021
PETALING JAYA: Focus on job creation, ease restrictions on economic activities, and extend a lifeline to consumers and businesses to increase the purchasing power of the people, stakeholders suggest.
Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) chief executive officer Dr T. Saravanan said that the current inflation rate is impacting the purchasing power of the people.
He added that many measures must be carried out to increase this purchasing power.
This includes reviving the economy with stricter standard operating procedures (SOP) especially at factories and big companies, he said, adding that this will lead to job opportunities for those who are unemployed.
โPurchasing power depends on real income. With more people in employment, more money is spent on products and services,โ he said, adding that the government must also bring in more foreign direct investments (FDI) into the country and give these firms more tax and trade incentives to invest in Malaysia.
Initiatives such as income tax exemptions, price control of essential items, and proper enforcement by the relevant ministries will also lead to an increase in the purchasing power of the people, he said.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said that to reduce the long-term negative impact on the economy, the government will focus its efforts in achieving two main objectives, which are to raise the purchasing power of citizens and to return the private sector to its role as the countryโs main driver of economic growth.
Fake oximeters: Oxygen levels detected in a pencil
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Sunday, 22 Aug 2021
WITH the heightened interest in oximeters, some irresponsible sellers have duped consumers into buying fake devices.
The Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) tells Sunday Star that it has received over 15 complaints about fake oximeters since last month.
โIn one case, a consumer used an oximeter on a pencil and it โdetectedโ oxygen levels.
โI found this to be ridiculous and unscrupulous on the part of the seller,โ says Fomca deputy secretary-general Nur Asyikin Aminuddin.
She says such dubious devices are usually very cheap, costing around RM20.
โMost complainants bought the devices through social media or online marketplaces.
โWe asked these consumers to lodge reports with the authorities like the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry for action to be taken against the errant sellers,โ Nur Asyikin says.
As the demand for Covid-19 home self-test kits is high, she urges the government to bring down the prices of such products โ they currently cost between RM30 and RM40 per set.
โAs people are losing jobs and struggling to make ends meet, the government must help consumers in this small but important way.
โIt is becoming a necessity now for every home to have such kits so that they can do regular self-checks,โ she says, adding that the public could curb the spread of Covid-19 by doing self-tests, especially parents have to who go out and have young children at home.
She points out that the demand for items like self-test kits, thermometers and oximeters is high because of the spike in sporadic cases.
โThis means we donโt necessarily have to be a close contact of a positive patient to get infected.
Read more: Fake oximeters: Oxygen levels detected in a pencil
Expert calls for policy shift to make houses affordable
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August 19, 2021 7:30 AM
PETALING JAYA: A researcher has described Malaysiaโs housing policy as something that is stuck in an โidentity crisisโ from which it can emerge if policymakers decide whether to view a house as an asset or a necessity.
Lillian Wee of the Research for Social Advancement (Resda) think tank said the government, in giving priority to people who can afford to buy property, was shutting out those who could not or did not want to, thereby creating unequal opportunities.
Not enough attention had been given to the growing rental market, she said, noting that this was one of the issues that had been exacerbated since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.
โA lot of the governmentโs policies during and before the pandemic have prioritised home ownership and people who can afford loans or multiple houses,โ she said.
โAs such, those who cannot afford to take on loans or put down large down payments are left out. These include people who choose to rent for work, mobility or lifestyle reasons. There is a lack of assistance for these people to lease affordable homes and, during the pandemic little has been done to help them with their payments.โ
Wee said housing must be viewed as essential and should therefore be made more affordable and accessible to those who need them.
โMalaysia is urbanising rapidly, with people moving from suburban and rural areas to places like Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Penang and Johor. However, these are the areas where housing prices are the highest and housing inequality is at its worst.
โThere is a problem if someone from the M40 cannot afford to buy or rent a house in Kuala Lumpur, since itโs not just people from the T20 group that work there.โ
She said this was typified by the building of 14,094 low-cost homes last year, well short of the National Affordable Housing Councilโs target of 100,000 units annually.
โInstead, we are seeing a surge in homes that cost more than RM600,000, out of reach for most of the people the government should be looking to provide for.โ
Read more: Expert calls for policy shift to make houses affordable
Fomca terima aduan susu formula beri kesan cirit-birit berdarah
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17 Ogos 2021
SHAH ALAM - Gabungan Persatuan-persatuan Pengguna Malaysia (Fomca) menerima beberapa aduan berhubung keselamatan susu formula bayi dan kanak-kanak yang didakwa mempunyai kesan sampingan terhadap beberapa kes cirit-birit termasuk cirit-birit berdarah.
Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Fomca, Dr Saravanan Thambirajah berkata, Fomca memberi amaran kepada Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia (ฯใฝถสำฦต) dan juga syarikat susu formula untuk memeriksa sebarang insiden yang berkaitan dengan keselamatan dan juga menarik balik produk tersebut sebagai langkah berjaga-jaga.
Menurutnya, Fomca khuatir terhadap keselamatan semua jenama susu formula dan pihak ฯใฝถสำฦต bertanggungjawab melakukan ujian makmal dan memeriksa bahan yang boleh membahayakan nyawa.
โKebanyakan kes aduan berlaku ketika ibu bapa menukar susu berdasarkan umur dan pertumbuhan kanak-kanak menyedari anak-anak mereka mengalami kes cirit-birit yang teruk selepas minum susu tersebut.
โJusteru, Fomca menasihati ibu bapa supaya memantau perubahan pergerakan bayi mereka sejurus selepas menukar susu formula.
"Satu dekad lalu terdapat insiden susu formula yang dicemari melamin berbahaya yang terjual di pasaran di mana pemerintah perlu campur tangan untuk menyekat pengimportan susu formula tersebut,โ katanya dalam satu kenyataan pada Selasa.
Mengulas lanjut, Saravanan berkata, pengguna disarankan untuk membuat kajian dan membaca pengalaman serta reaksi yang dikongsikan oleh ibu bapa yang sudah melalui pengalaman buruk dengan jenama susu formula terbabit.
Read more: Fomca terima aduan susu formula beri kesan cirit-birit berdarah
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