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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.

“Purchasing power depends on real income. With more people in employment, more money is spent on products and services,” 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 country’s main driver of economic growth.

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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 (KKM) 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 KKM bertanggungjawab melakukan ujian makmal dan memeriksa bahan yang boleh membahayakan nyawa.
“Kebanyakan 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.

“Justeru, 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,” 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.

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Ogos 17, 2021 @ 12:54pm
Kuala Lumpur: Kerajaan diminta untuk mempertimbangkan kebenaran untuk individu yang sudah disuntik sekurang-kurangnya sekali untuk menikmati kemudahan pembukaan sektor ekonomi.

Timbalan Presiden Gabungan Persatuan-Persatuan Pengguna Malaysia (Fomca) Mohd Yusof Abdul Rahman berkata, ia membolehkan orang ramai yang belum lengkap dos vaksin turut merancakkan semula ekonomi.

Katanya, kelonggaran itu juga boleh kembali memberikan kelegaan kepada peniaga sektor bukan perkhidmatan perlu yang baru dibenarkan beroperasi semalam.

"Kebanyakan rakyat sudah terima sekurang-kurangnya satu dos dan ia mungkin boleh diberi kelonggaran untuk mereka menikmati pembukaan sektor ekonomi yang diumumkan kerajaan beberapa hari lalu.

"Jika ia hanya tertumpu kepada pengguna yang lengkap dua dos vaksin ia mungkin sedikit memperlahankan pembukaan semula sektor ekonomi," katanya ketika dihubungi.

Beliau berkata, pengguna juga diminta untuk tampil mendaftar untuk suntikan vaksin kerana ia akan memudahkan urusan harian selain merancakkan semula ekonomi.

Menurutnya, kebanyakan sektor kini sudah mengenakan syarat mereka yang lengkap dua dos vaksin saja dibenarkan untuk menikmati sektor ekonomi dengan skop lebih luas.

"Syarat dikenakan kerajaan untuk mereka yang sudah lengkap dua dos vaksin adalah untuk memastikan risiko penularan Covid-19 dapat dikurangkan.

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16 Aug 2021, 12:20 pm
LETTER | The relationship between worker well-being and consumer well-being is certainly strongly interconnected. Unless the consumer has employment, he would not have the income to purchase the needs for himself and his family.

Thus, a loss of job or loss of income would have a devastating impact on the welfare of consumers. The Covid-19 pandemic has indeed had a severe negative impact on workers and consumers in Malaysia.

Unemployment and underemployment have increased. Around 3.4 million people are unemployed or underemployed, which is 19.8 percent of the workforce.

Average salaries fell by nine percent and median salaries fell by 15.6 percent. Thus, more than half of salaried employees currently earn less than RM2,062 per month.

Further in a report by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), 35 percent of the self-employed claimed a drop of income by 90 percent. Further 71 percent of self-employed have cash flows that could only last for one month.

The economic impact on low-income urban families has been particularly harsh.

According to the United Nations Children’ Emergency Fund (Unicef) and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) report 'Families on edge: Impact of Covid-19 on low income urban families:

  • 25 percent of head of households are unemployed (compared to the national level of 5.3 percent);
  • 31 percent of head of households faced cuts in working hours during the movement control order ; and,
  • Females faced a greater challenge - 32 percent of female households are unemployed.
  • In another study by UNICEF on unemployment among urban poor, it was found that unemployment had increased from seven percent in September to 15 percent in December 2020, with one in three adults in these households being without a job.

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Federation of Malaysians Consumers AssociationsAugust 16, 2021 @ 12:15am
LETTERS: Nicholas King's article on Allianz Road Rangers (NST, Aug 4) is an accurate description of what happens to many motorists after an accident.

The Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) concurs that it can be traumatising if those involved have died or suffered serious injuries.

The journey after an accident — the mediation between car owners, the police report and encountering unscrupulous touts — is a nightmare for motorists.
Some motorists will experience depression after the accidents even though they are covered by insurance.

Fomca has received numerous complaints through its consumer complaint centre, the National Consumer Complaint Centre (NCCC), about vehicle insurance and the agony consumers go through to get their claims approved and to get their vehicles back.

Fomca also agrees with the Allianz chief executive officer's stand that insurance companies should do more to protect consumers and provide satisfactory services, as these are enshrined in the Fair Treatment of Financial Consumers (FTFC) guidelines issued by Bank Negara Malaysia.

Fomca cannot deny his claim that motor insurance is a billion-ringgit scam.

Bank Negara must ensure that consumers are protected from dubious parties involved in motor insurance.

Persatuan Insurans Am Malaysia (PIAM) must ensure that consumers are protected under the FTFC and are not victimised by insurers.

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Ogos 9, 2021 @ 12:49pm
KUALA LUMPUR: Gabungan Persatuan-Persatuan Pengguna Malaysia (FOMCA) mencadangkan moratorium pembaharuan lesen kenderaan motor (LKM) dan lesen memandu Malaysia (LLM) dilanjutkan sekurang-kurangnya hingga akhir tahun ini.

Timbalan Presidennya, Mohd Yusof Abdul Rahman, berkata lanjutan itu wajar dipertimbangkan memandangkan ramai dalam kalangan rakyat yang masih terkesan dengan pelaksanaan Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan (PKP) sebelum ini hingga hilang mata pencarian.

"Lanjutan moratorium wajar dibuat khusus untuk golongan yang layak dan benar-benar terjejas kerana mereka memerlukan lebih banyak masa untuk menstabilkan semula keadaan ekonomi masing-masing.

"Langkah ini sekurang-kurang dapat membantu mengurangkan beban golongan yang terjejas, sekali gus menunjukkan keprihatinan kerajaan dengan nasib mereka," katanya kepada BH.

Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalan (JPJ) dalam satu kenyataan 4 Ogos lalu memaklumkan, tempoh moratorium atau lanjutan tempoh pembaharuan untuk LKM dan LMM tidak akan disambung lagi selepas 30 September ini.

Susulan itu, orang ramai diingatkan supaya memperbaharui LKM atau cukai jalan dan LMM, termasuk Lesen Vokasional (GDL dan PSV) yang sudah tamat tempoh sebelum tarikh itu bagi mengelak dikenakan tindakan undang-undang bermula 1 Oktober depan.

Pemilik kenderaan yang LKM tamat tempoh juga perlu memastikan kenderaan masing-masing memiliki perlindungan insurans yang sah dan menunjukkan salinan sijil perlindungan insurans (e-cover note) jika diminta pihak berkuasa.

Semalam, Ketua Pengarah Pengangkutan Jalan, Datuk Zailani Hashim, dipetik sebagai berkata penamatan moratorium bagi pelanjutan pembaharuan lesen itu dianggap wajar memandangkan tempohnya sudah mencukupi.

Beliau berkata, jika ada yang masih belum memperbaharuinya sehingga 30 September ini, mereka akan dikenakan tindakan saman serta kompaun dan boleh dituduh mengikut Seksyen 26(1) dan 23(1) mengikut Akta Pengangkutan Jalan 1987 (Akta 333).

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Federation of Malaysians Consumers AssociationsAugust 6, 2021 7:30 AM
PETALING JAYA: When Leona Lopez received her bulk order of household products from an online shopping platform, she was surprised to find some of the items damaged.

Lopez said it was difficult to get a refund or have her items replaced as it took days for a seller to reply to her inquiries and, usually, there would be no satisfactory solution.

“When I tried returning just one item, I was told it was rejected and they (online shopping platform) would return the item to me. I was confused. Would they send me back a new item or the damaged one?” she asked.

She said that with the pandemic, many have resorted to buying items online as they do not want to risk going out.

“When we purchase items online, we hope that they come as per the image shown on the site,” she said.

Recently, she said, she had purchased a mountain bike hub and when it arrived, the front hub was damaged, and her refund request is still under review.

She said it is frustrating when this happens, especially when sellers do not pack their items properly.

“I am sure I am not the only one experiencing this. I just hope that shopping online platforms can assist and protect their buyers. We should not be forced to accept wrong items or damaged ones,” she said.

Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) CEO Saravanan Thambirajah said it has received many complaints on such issues since the movement control order (MCO) was implemented.

Saravanan said Fomca has received about 380 complaints this year.

“One of the common complaints is on customer service. There are cases where consumers have to file the same complaint a few times before they are heard,” he told FMT.

He said online shopping platforms should appoint customer care consultants to look into the complaints rather than use automated machines.

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August 5, 2021 @ 12:26pm
KUALA LUMPUR: The Federation of Malaysian Consumers Association (Fomca) has urged the government to set a date for the reopening of the various industries under the economic sector.

Fomca president Datuk Dr Marimuthu Nadason said the Movement Control Order (MCO) over the last three months has been a harrowing ordeal for the people, especially for daily wage workers and small traders.

"The government cannot insist on prolonging the lockdown which is hurting the livelihoods of the people.

"Based on media reports, our vaccination rate has also increased and is meeting our daily target.

"So, I don't see any valid purpose for extending the movement restrictions.

"The government should announce a proper timeframe for the reopening of industries and allow them to resume operations as soon as possible," he told the New Straits Times today.

Interstate travel bans, he said, had made it more difficult for consumers to conduct real estate transactions and other such economic activities that require cross-border movement.

A prolonged lockdown, he added, could also lead to depression and other mental health issues becoming prevalent in society.

On July 24, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the government will announce flexibility or special privileges soon for individuals who have completed both doses of their Covid-19 vaccination.

These privileges, he said, include allowing long-distance married couples to cross-district or state borders to meet their spouses as well as the resumption of dine-in and sports activities, among others.

Source: https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2021/08/715143/fix-date-reopen-economic-sector-says-fomca?topicID=1&articleID=715143

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05 Ogos 2021
SHAH ALAM – Gabungan Persatuan-Persatuan Pengguna Malaysia (Fomca) menerima 253 panggilan telefon daripada pengguna untuk mendapatkan bantuan emosi sepanjang tempoh pelaksanaan Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan (PKP).

Fomca dalam satu kenyataan pada Rabu berkata, pihaknya menerima pelbagai kisah daripada mereka antaranya masalah kewangan yang tiada jalan keluar, tiada pekerjaan, tekanan, hubungan dan isu keluarga yang menjadi faktor utama menjadi penyumbang masalah tekanan perasaan.

“Situasi seperti ini yang menyebabkan ramai tertekan dan hilang harapan dalam tempoh krisis pandemik ini.

Jika tidak dikawal dari awal boleh membawa kepada kemurungan, malah akan berisiko untuk percubaan membunuh diri.

“Kita perlu ingat setiap masalah pasti ada jalan penyelesaiannya.

Justeru itu, jangan menganggap bunuh diri sebagai jalan terakhir untuk kita menyelesaikan masalah,” kata kenyataan itu.

Fomca turut berkongsi beberapa senarai perkhidmatan sokongan untuk membantu individu atau keluarga yang ingin mendapatkan bantuan kewangan dan psikologi ketika ini.

“Jika individu yang mengalami masalah kemurungan dan tekanan emosi, mereka boleh menghubungi Perkhidmatan Kesihatan Mental Dan Sokongan (MHPSS) di 03-29359935 atau 014-3223392 atau 011-63996482, Talian Kasih 15999/WhatsApp Talian Kasih di 019-2615999 dan KSK-Care JAKIM di WhatsApp 0111-9598214,” katanya.

Menurut kenyataan itu, mereka yang bermasalah juga boleh menghubungi Befrienders Kuala Lumpur di talian 03-76272929 dan Woman’s Aid Organisation di talian 03-3000 8858 atau SMS/WhatsApp 018-9888058.

Menurut kenyataan itu, mereka yang mengalami masalah kewangan boleh mendapatkan nasihat mengenai penstrukturan semula hutang daripada Agensi Kaunseling dan Pengurusan Kredit (AKPK).

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KUALA LUMPUR: Orang ramai perlu membuat aduan kepada Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) sekiranya ada bank komersial enggan meluluskan pemberian moratorium pinjaman.

Presiden Gabungan Persatuan-Persatuan Pengguna Malaysia (FOMCA), Datuk Dr Marimuthu Nadason, berkata BNM memaklumkan pihaknya bahawa individu yang terjejas pendapatan ketika pandemik perlu menghubungi bank masing-masing untuk mendapatkan moratorium pinjaman.

"Dalam sesi pertemuan secara maya, baru-baru ini, BNM berkongsikan inisiatif yang diambil dan menyarankan pengguna menghubungi bank masing-masing untuk mendapatkan moratorium.

"BNM memaklumkan bank komersial menerima jumlah panggilan yang tinggi membabitkan moratorium dan bantuan bayaran balik pinjaman.

"FOMCA menyarankan pengguna untuk membuat laporan kepada BNM jika bank komersial enggan memberikan moratorium pinjaman.

"BNM boleh dihubungi menerusi BNMTELELINK di talian 1-300-88-5465 (1-300-88-LINK)," katanya dalam kenyataan, hari ini.

Marimuthu berkata, BNM juga memaklumkan syarikat insurans menawarkan moratorium selama tiga bulan dan pengguna perlu menghubungi syarikat atau ejen insurans masing-masing untuk maklumat lanjut.

Katanya, FOMCA turut memaklumkan kepada BNM mengenai aduan pengguna, khususnya warga emas yang berdepan isu perlindungan insurans luput kerana lonjakan premium.

"BNM memaklumkan mereka sedang menyiasat mengenai 'Inflasi Perubatan' kerana industri insurans menggunakan alasan itu untuk menaikkan premium perubatan.

"FOMCA menyokong usaha ini dan berharap BNM akan memainkan peranan penting pada masa depan dalam mengawal kenaikan premium menggunakan alasan inflasi perubatan," katanya.

Dalam pada itu, Marimuthu menasihatkan pengguna yang berdepan masalah kewangan dan sukar menguruskan hutang, supaya menghubungi Agensi Kaunseling dan Pengurusan Kredit (AKPK) untuk mendapatkan bantuan dan nasihat kewangan percuma.

"AKPK akan memberi kaunseling atau membantu membuat penstrukturan pinjaman dengan memberi keutamaan kepada kebajikan pengguna," katanya.

Sumber: https://www.msn.com/en-my/news/berita/lapor-bnm-jika-bank-enggan-beri-moratorium/ar-AAMt0yp