Call for crackdown on fuel subsidy abuse by foreigners
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PETALING JAYA: As fuel subsidy abuse continues to spark public outrage, holding foreign vehicle owners accountable for purchasing subsidised Budi95 petrol is a crucial step towards fairer enforcement, say consumer groups.
Previously, responsibility rested entirely on petrol station operators, who often struggled to prevent abuse.
Pertubuhan Mesra Pengguna Malaysia deputy president Azlin Othman said petrol station operators often faced constraints in controlling the actions of those taking advantage of the system.
He cautioned that the flexibility now given to operators must not become an excuse for weak compliance.
โMonitoring must continue to be strengthened,โ he added.
Read more: Call for crackdown on fuel subsidy abuse by foreigners
'BNM perlu larang bank promosi insurans dalam premis, elak perdaya pelanggan' - CAP
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GEORGETOWN: Persatuan Pengguna Pulau Pinang (CAP) menggesa Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) melarang institusi kewangan daripada mempromosikan sebarang bentuk insurans, terutama berkaitan pelaburan di dalam premis mereka.
Presidennya, Mohideen Abdul Kader berkata, CAP menerima aduan ada pegawai bank mendekati pelanggan dalam premis bank bagi mempromosikan insurans berkaitan pelaburan sebagai 'pilihan pelaburan yang lebih baik dengan pulangan lebih tinggi berbanding simpanan atau deposit tetap'.
Katanya, dalam kebanyakan kes, pelanggan tidak dimaklumkan mereka sedang ditawarkan insurans berkaitan pelaburan yang memerlukan pembayaran premium dalam tempoh beberapa tahun.
"Dalam satu kes, seorang wanita mendakwa dia sudah memberitahu pegawai bank bahawa dia enggan membeli sebarang insurans kerana hampir bersara dan mempunyai simpanan terhad.
"Pegawai bank itu meyakinkannya bahawa ia hanyalah 'Pelan Simpanan' yang dikunci selama lima tahun dan kerana menyangka ia produk deposit tetap yang baharu, wanita itu bersetuju sebelum diberi satu timbunan dokumen dengan cetakan halus bagi ditandatangani.
Read more: 'BNM perlu larang bank promosi insurans dalam premis, elak perdaya pelanggan' - CAP
'Beli barang tak sama macam dulu'
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JOHOR BAHRU: Kerajaan diminta menaikkan bantuan tambahan kepada ibu dan bapa tunggal yang mempunyai anak tanggungan dalam Belanjawan 2024.
Sebelum ini bantuan tambahan RM500 kepada ibu tunggal diteruskan dan mereka juga layak menerima Bantuan Keluarga Malaysia (BKM) maksimum RM3,000 dalam Belanjawan 2023 berbanding RM2,500 menerusi Belanjawan 2022.
Ibu tunggal kepada tiga cahaya mata, Cecelia Das, 41, berkata, kerajaan perlu menimbang untuk menambah jumlah bantuan sedia ada kerana kos sara hidup ketika ini tinggi disebabkan kenaikan harga barang.
Dia yang berasal dari Apin-apin, Keningau, Sabah dan kini menetap di Bandar Bistari Perdana, Pasir Gudang dekat sini berkata, perbelanjaan barang dapur ketika ini tidak sama seperti tahun lalu.
โSemua perbelanjaan naik mendadak. Peningkatan kos sara hidup sangat ketara di sini. Gaji saya sebagai pekerja kilang di Tampoi memang tidak cukup.
DuitNow QR payment transaction fee will not burden low-income group
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KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said on Friday (Sept 29) that the imposition of a transaction fee for payments made via DuitNow QR and transactions conducted with credit cards will not burden the low-income group in the country.
Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, said he had met Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) Governor Datuk Shaik Abdul Rasheed Abdul Ghaffour yesterday to get clarification on the matter.
"I discussed with the BNM Governor yesterday. According to him, it (transaction fee) will not be imposed on the lower group.
"What is important is that it will not burden the low-income group,โ he told reporters after visiting the โPostnormal Timesโ exhibition at the KL Jazz and Arts Centre here.
Yesterday, Payments Network Malaysia Sdn Bhd (PayNet) confirmed that a transaction fee will be imposed on vendors for payments received through the DuitNow QR platform and transactions conducted with credit cards effective Nov 1, 2023.
However, the 50 sen fee will be charged for transactions exceeding RM5,000 involving peer-to-peer fund transfers from one personal QR to another personal QR, not payments to merchants.
Asked about MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siongโs suggestion that the transaction fee be abolished, Anwar said this matter should be handled by BNM.
Consumers continue to fight for their rights
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PETALING JAYA: Umrah packages, home improvement, car workshop services, travel agencies and short-term rentals are the top five cases in the services category received by the Tribunal for Consumer Claims Malaysia (TTPM) this year.
Of the 3,484 filings from January to May 2023, 355 were for umrah packages, 343 for home improvement, 175 for car workshops, 145 for travel agencies and 137 for short-term rentals.
In the goods category, the top five filings during the same period were for electrical goods (192), cars (185), telephones (110), furniture (100) and clothes (67).Meanwhile, 7,109 filings were done in 2022, 4,845 in 2021, 5,761 in 2020 and 5,198 in 2019.
For 2022 and 2021, home improvement topped the list of cases filed in the services category โ 757 filings last year and 420 the year before.
Travel agencies topped the list of cases filed in the services category in 2020 and 2019, at 584 and 383 respectively. In the goods category, claims for electrical goods topped the list for four years, with a total of 1,316 cases from 2020 to 2023.
TTPM chairman Hamidun Abdul Fatah advised consumers to make smart choices and look for the right information before purchasing goods or services.
โIf you find that your rights as a consumer have been denied, donโt be quiet and just accept it as fate. The tribunal is here and you can come to the tribunal if the case is within our power scope,โ he said.
Consumer urged to buy subsidised sugar to offset rising cost
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PETALING JAYA: Consumer associations have expressed mixed reactions to the possibility of restaurants and bakeries buying subsidised sugar to offset the rising cost of commercial-use sugar.
At least two associations are split over the practicality of such a move, with one citing it will be an arduous process to go about just to save cost. The other claims it is a norm for companies to do so.
Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) president Datuk Dr Marimuthu Nadason said it would be nonsensical for chain restaurants, for example, to buy cheaper sugar in bulk.
โI donโt see it happening. It will be stupid for the big businesses to do so. Are they going to buy 1kg sugar in bulk to offset their costs? I donโt think so,โ he said.
Read more: Consumer urged to buy subsidised sugar to offset rising cost
'Barang bersubsidi disalah guna, rakyat yang susah'
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Julai 4, 2022 @ 7:39pm
KUALA LUMPUR: Penguatkuasaan perlu ditingkatkan bagi mengesan penyalahgunaan subsidi barang selain penyeludupan barang bersubsidi hingga menyebabkan bekalan barang berkurangan di pasaran tempatan.
Perkara itu disuarakan dua persatuan peniaga yang melihat isu bekalan barang bersubsidi tidak akan selesai walaupun kerajaan mengambil pelbagai pendekatan membantu rakyat terutama kumpulan B40 dan M40 kesan kenaikan harga akibat cabaran ekonomi global.
Presiden Persatuan Peruncit Bumiputera (BRO), Datuk Ameer Ali Mydin, berkata sudah tiba masanya kerajaan meningkatkan penguatkuasaan di sempadan bagi menyekat penyeludupan barang bersubsidi seperti minyak masak paket berikutan peningkatan RM4 bilion subsidi bahan makanan itu.
Dalam isu minyak masak paket, katanya, bekalan tidak bermasalah dan pembekal serta pengedar masih membekalkan kepada peniaga mengikut kuota ditetapkan.
"Bekalan masih tiba sampai mengikut masa ditetapkan. Setakat ini, pengedar dan pembekal mengikut waktu yang ditetapkan.
'Masalahnya, bekalan minyak bersubsidi ini tidak pernah cukup walaupun subsidi ditingkatkan dua kali ganda kerana berlaku ketirisan apabila ada yang mengambil kesempatan menyeludup ke luar negara.
"Malah, saya diberitahu minyak bersubsidi ini turut dihantar ke negara di Afrika,' katanya kepada BH.
Beliau mengulas usaha kerajaan memberikan subsidi RM77.3 bilion meliputi petrol, diesel, LPG, minyak masak, tepung dan tarif elektrik.
Ameer berkata, isu minyak masak berpaket tidak akan selesai selagi kerajaan memberi subsidi untuk bahan makanan itu, menyebabkan ada pihak mengambil kesempatan dengan menyalahgunakannya.
Read more: 'Barang bersubsidi disalah guna, rakyat yang susah'
'Chicken prices may soar if floated'
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June 16, 2022 @ 7:05pm
PUTRAJAYA: Chicken prices are expected to rise next month when the floating price system begins following the end of the maximum retail price scheme on June 30.
Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said due to the possibility of chicken price hikes, the Finance Ministry planned to provide aid to the needy, with the plan set to be finalised by the end of the month.
"The Finance Ministry will do something to help those in need," he told a press conference after the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry's monthly assembly here today.
The government has set the maximum retail price of standard chicken at RM8.90 per kg and super chicken (slaughtered and cleaned without legs, head, liver and gizzard) at RM9.90 per kg.
Previously, chicken breeders had expressed their hope that the government would allow the floating of chicken prices after it decided to end subsidies for breeders from July 1.
Nanta reminded industry players not to take advantage of the floating price by raising the price of chicken arbitrarily.
He said the ministry would monitor prices and errant traders would face action under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011.
'Buy now, pay later' risks debt increase
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April 10, 2022 @ 4:41pm
LETTERS: The enactment of the Consumer Credit Act by Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) this year aims to strengthen the regulatory arrangements for all consumer credit activities including "Buy Now, Pay Later" (BNPL) scheme providers.
The concept of BNPL is similar to the traditional method of shopping whereby consumers could only own the item after relevant instalments or full payment has been made.
BNPL is a type of short-term financing that essentially allows consumers to purchase with 0 per cent interest via monthly instalments.
Some platforms offer deferral of payment until the end of the month or allow payment in the following month.
Some BNPL players charge interest or a penalty fee if the consumer makes a late payment.
Consumers are required to have a good credit score in order to apply for a credit card.
Hence, one of the reasons consumers consider BNPL is because a good credit score is needless. Therefore, consumers can apply for the BNPL scheme even if their credit score is below average.
Besides, consumers' monthly budget would not be affected as large payments can be made regularly. For example, RM3,000 is needed to purchase a new mobile phone after it breaks down.
Consumers do not have to use their emergency savings and may enjoy a monthly instalment of RM1,000 per month.
'Aduhai cik misi, RM94,000 lesap...'
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Jun 8, 2021 @ 11:23pm
Port Dickson: Seorang jururawat mendakwa kerugian RM94,000 akibat ditipu sindiket Macau Scam.
Ketua Polis Daerah Port Dickson, Superintendan Aidi Sham Mohamed berkata, wanita berusia 31 trahun itu membuat laporan polis pada 5 Jun lalu mendakwa ditipu sindiket menyamar sebagai pegawai Lembaga Hasil Dalam Negeri (LHDN).
"Mangsa menerima panggilan daripada nombor talian mudah alih yang mendakwa daripada LHDN dan memaklumkan dia mempunyai tunggakan cukai RM38,600.90 berkaitan syarikat didaftarkan atas namanya.
"Mangsa menafikan perkara ini dan panggilan disambungkan ke Ibu Pejabat Polis Kontinjen (IPK) Kuantan untuk tujuan membuat laporan polis secara dalam talian," katanya dalam kenyataan media, hari ini.
Beliau berkata, mangsa kemudiannya bercakap dengan pegawai polis berpangkat Asisten Komisioner dan diminta untuk memuat turun pautan aplikasi MyBNM.
Menurutnya, dalam aplikasi itu, pengadu kemudiannya memasukkan butiran nama dan nombor kad pengenalan miliknya.
"Aplikasi ini dikatakan untuk tujuan keselamatan supaya wang di dalam akaun mangsa tidak ditolak untuk tunggakan cukai itu.
"Bagaimanapun, apabila membuat semakan dengan pihak bank, wanita itu mendapati wang simpanan di dalam salah satu akaun miliknya sudah dipindahkan kepada beberapa akaun tidak dikenali dalam 11 transaksi dengan jumlah keseluruhan RM94,000," katanya.
Beliau berkata, kes disiasat mengikut Seksyen 420 Kanun Keseksaan iaitu menipu yang memperuntukkan hukuman penjara maksimum 10 tahun dan sebat dan boleh didenda jika sabit kesalahan.
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