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KUALA LUMPUR 20 Julai – Cukai jualan dan perkhidmatan (SST) yang bakal berkuat kuasa 1 September ini dilihat mempunyai mekanisme pelaksanaan yang sedikit berbeza dengan SST versi sebelum pelaksanaan cukai barangan dan perkhidmatan (GST).
Walaupun kerajaan melalui Jabatan Kastam Diraja Malaysia (JKDM) sudah menyenaraikan sebanyak 98 kategori meliputi lebih 11,000 barangan yang bakal dikecualikan daripada cukai berkenaan, masih tiada jaminan kenaikan harga tidak akan menghimpit pengguna.
Mengulas perkara itu, Timbalan Presiden Gabungan Persatuan-persatuan Pengguna Malaysia (FOMCA), Mohd. Yusof Abdul Rahman berkata, SST yang diamalkan dahulu hanya mengenakan cukai kepada barang-barang sudah disenaraikan oleh kerajaan.
Menurutnya, berbanding SST edisi baharu ini, kerajaan hanya menyenaraikan barangan dan perkhidmatan berstatus bebas daripada cukai terbabit dan perkara itu jelas menimbulkan keraguan sama ada lebih banyak produk bakal dikenakan cukai nanti.
“Maksudnya selain daripada barangan yang terdapat dalam senarai itu, semua akan dikenakan cukai jualan sebanyak 10 peratus dan cukai perkhidmatan pula enam peratus.
“SST yang dahulu. apabila hanya barangan yang disenaraikan sahaja dikenakan cukai, pengguna tidak terlalu terasa akan kesannya,” katanya ketika dihubungi Utusan Malaysia, di sini hari ini.
Berdasarkan senarai di portal JKDM: www.customs.gov.my, antara barangan dan perkhidmatan yang dikecualikan cukai berkenaan adalah barangan keperluan asas seperti daging lembu, kambing, ikan, ayam dan sebagainya.
Sumber :: http://www.utusan.com.my/berita/nasional/lebih-banyak-barangan-bakal-dikenakan-cukai-1.713296#ixzz5M2vcdf3b
21 Julai 2018, Utusan Online
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KUALA LUMPUR 18 Julai- Gabungan Persatuan-Persatuan Pengguna Malaysia (FOMCA) menggesa kerajaan memansuhkan caj perkhidmatan antara lima hingga 10 peratus yang dikenakan ke atas pelanggan oleh pihak pengurusan hotel dan restoran mewah di seluruh negara.
Timbalan Presidennya, Mohd. Yusof Abdul Rahman berkata, pihak restoran dan hotel sebelum ini menggunakan alasan bahawa caj perkhidmatan yang dikutip akan diagihkan kembali kepada kakitangan berikutan gaji pokok mereka adalah rendah.
Namun katanya, perkara itu tidak lagi relevan kerana kerajaan telah menguatkuasakan Perintah Gaji Minimum (PGM) 2016.
“Dahulu memanglah, caj perkhidmatan ini dikenakan sebagai ganti tip kepada para pekerja hotel dan restoran disebabkan gaji pokok mereka rendah tetapi setelah gaji minimum dilaksanakan, perkara itu tidak lagi relevan.
“Selepas pengguna dikenakan cukai perkhidmatan enam peratus, jadi kerajaan perlu memikirkan bagaimana untuk memansuhkan caj perkhidmatan itu,” katanya kepada Utusan Malaysia di sini, hari ini.- UTUSAN ONLINE
Sumber :: http://www.utusan.com.my/berita/nasional/mansuhkan-caj-perkhidmatan-hotel-restoran-1.711348#ixzz5Lku7VEnN
18 Julai 2018, Utusan Melayu (M) Bhd
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KUALA LUMPUR, July 17 ― While Malaysians can indulge in a bit of a shopping spree from a three-month tax holiday, retailers and shopping malls are not necessarily also enjoying cheaper costs that will enable them to pass on savings to consumers.
HC Chan, the adviser of Malaysia Shopping Malls Association, pointed out that zero Goods and Services Tax (GST) only makes up an insignificant part of business cost.
“With zero GST, most will assume business cost is down but in reality we need to know what constitute the most in business costs.
“Well, utilities and human capital will easily make up up to 70 per cent of the malls' business costs. So zero GST is really a small number in relation to business cost,” he told Malay Mail when contacted, referring to raw materials, utilities and human capital as forming the bulk of business costs.
He noted that businesses had already incurred the software costs when GST was first introduced three years ago, and that the costs have yet to be fully covered.
“In terms of cost for doing business, GST removal does not significant reduce this aspect as investment on software and compliance costs are sunk in.
“Given that GST has only been in effect for 3 years, the amortisation costs will not been fully defrayed,” he said.
Better cash flow
Chan acknowledged that the zero-rating of GST had improved the cash flow of companies, as it removed the need for them to submit and claim back for refunds from the Royal Malaysian Customs Department.
“In many ways, this allow better maneuverability in face of margin compression and volatile headwinds. Companies have better control in managing their cash flow,” he said.
Datuk Seri Garry Chua, president of Malaysia Retail Chain Association, said there will be a slight reduction in operation costs and easing of cash flow.
“Previously there's comment from some members that refund of GST was rather slow, so that affected cashflow,” he told Malay Mail, noting that the refund sought by each company could run up to hundreds of thousands in ringgit.
He noted that retailers in the past had to pay GST upfront first, with their cash flow hampered if government refunds on GST was slow.
“Of course cash flow will slightly improve without GST...Some refunds involved in bigger items could affect a lot, for example, imported products, electrical products, the amount is big, it will be quite substantial,” he said.
While all traders are required to not include the GST's six per cent tax in their prices for a three month period, prices are not automatically assumed to go lower.
The mismatch in expectations and pricing realities have however left some consumers unhappy, with the Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) receiving unofficial complaints from consumers who felt that there was no significant price drops.
Fomca deputy president Mohd Yusof Abdul Rahman said the complainants could have thought that zero GST would result in prices going below the pre-GST price levels, noting also that certain consumer goods have already been zero-rated from the start and that there would be no price changes.
“However consumers still save a lot because GST is not only imposed on goods, but also on services, and most of the services that we use now don't have the six per cent GST,” he said.
Promotions, weak ringgit
Tan Hai Hsin, managing director of Retail Group Malaysia which carries out surveys on Malaysia Retailers Association members, bluntly said that business cost “has not gone down due to zero-rated GST”.
“Operation costs went up due to more administrative works on this transition period.
“Higher cost also due to more advertising and promotional programmes to inform shoppers on this once-in-a-lifetime promotion,” he told Malay Mail, referring to the tax holiday where no tax is imposed at all.
Tan said the retailers' gross profit margin has also been affected by the weak ringgit, as import costs have gone up and also affected importers and manufacturers.
Price suppression
C. Krishnan, vice-president of Malaysian Indian Restaurant Owners' Association (Primas), indicated that it would take a longer period of two or three months for the zero GST's impact on business cost and cash flow to be apparent, but said the effect would be largely insignificant.
“I don't think it's going to bring down lots of difference in operational costs. Operational costs in any organisation is not GST, it's all other things,” he told Malay Mail.
While restaurant operators no longer have to pay six per cent tax for most ingredients and have more comfort in terms of buying power, Krishnan pointed out that most of the operators had been suppressing themselves from imposing price hikes after the GST was introduced and despite rising business costs.
“The prices were really increasing before election, most of the ingredients were imported, most of the things we used, prices was really hiking up, especially fuel costs, electricity costs, logistics costs,” he said, also citing the weaker ringgit.
“Government always tells us not to increase prices despite whatever problems we faced, so we had to obey...We've been absorbing costs, our profit margins were sinking in the last two years,” he said, adding that association members are estimated to have absorbed between 10 per cent to 30 per cent of costs in the last three years instead of passing it on to customers.
Source :: https://www.malaymail.com/s/1652955/with-zero-gst-are-business-costs-down-for-retailers-shopping-malls-think-ag
17 July 2018, Malaymail.com
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Gabungan Persatuan Pengguna Malaysia (Fomca) menjangkakan harga barangan dan produk perkhidmatan dijangka naik berikutan penyelarasan surcaj kos tak berimbang (ICPT) kepada semua pengguna bukan domestik di Semenanjung Malaysia bagi tempoh 1 Julai sehingga 31 Disember.
Timbalan Presiden Fomca, Mohd Yusof Abdul Rahman berkata, jangkaan berkenaan dibuat berdasarkan senario kenaikan harga barangan serta produk yang berlaku sebelum ini susulan kepada peningkatan kos operasi peniaga.
Menurutnya, kebiasaan yang sama juga boleh dilihat apabila kos peningkatan berkenaan dipindahkan secara terus oleh peniaga kepada pengguna.
“Buat masa ini kita belum lagi mendapat aduan daripada pengguna berhubung peningkatan harga barangan susulan penyelarasan ICPT ini. Namun, kita menjangkakan peningkatan harga barangan berdasarkan senario sebelum ini.
“Pun begitu, kita telah menerima beberapa aduan mengenai peningkatan harga barangan dan kita tidak menolak berlakunya peningkatan harga barangan susulan penyelarasan ini terutamanya bagi kedai yang banyak menggunakan peralatan elektrik... ini akan memberikan kesan,” katanya ketika dihubungi Sinar Harian, semalam.
Yusof berkata, isu kenaikan harga barangan perlu diambil serius oleh kerajaan lebih-lebih lagi antara manifesto utama Harapan adalah bagi mengurangkan kos sara hidup rakyat.
“Ini membabitkan keyakinan rakyat kepada Harapan dan kita (Fomca) berharap agar pihak kerajaan dapat menangani isu ini," katanya.
Gabungan Persatuan Pengguna Malaysia (Fomca) menjangkakan harga barangan dan produk perkhidmatan dijangka naik berikutan penyelarasan surcaj kos tak berimbang (ICPT) kepada semua pengguna bukan domestik di Semenanjung Malaysia bagi tempoh 1 Julai sehingga 31 Disember.
Timbalan Presiden Fomca, Mohd Yusof Abdul Rahman berkata, jangkaan berkenaan dibuat berdasarkan senario kenaikan harga barangan serta produk yang berlaku sebelum ini susulan kepada peningkatan kos operasi peniaga.
Menurutnya, kebiasaan yang sama juga boleh dilihat apabila kos peningkatan berkenaan dipindahkan secara terus oleh peniaga kepada pengguna.
“Buat masa ini kita belum lagi mendapat aduan daripada pengguna berhubung peningkatan harga barangan susulan penyelarasan ICPT ini. Namun, kita menjangkakan peningkatan harga barangan berdasarkan senario sebelum ini.
“Pun begitu, kita telah menerima beberapa aduan mengenai peningkatan harga barangan dan kita tidak menolak berlakunya peningkatan harga barangan susulan penyelarasan ini terutamanya bagi kedai yang banyak menggunakan peralatan elektrik... ini akan memberikan kesan,” katanya ketika dihubungi Sinar Harian, semalam.
Yusof berkata, isu kenaikan harga barangan perlu diambil serius oleh kerajaan lebih-lebih lagi antara manifesto utama Harapan adalah bagi mengurangkan kos sara hidup rakyat.
“Ini membabitkan keyakinan rakyat kepada Harapan dan kita (Fomca) berharap agar pihak kerajaan dapat menangani isu ini," katanya.
Sumber :: http://www.sinarharian.com.my/siasat/fomca-jangka-harga-barangan-naik-1.856799
16 JULAI 2018, Sinar Online
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As we aspire to be become top 20 nations by 2050, issues in regards to water management are still plaguing Malaysians. The troublesome water disruptions, issues with water quality and water pressure and billing dispute have caused a never-ending cycle that disrupts our lives and livelihood.
A quick look into the Malaysian Water Industry Guide (MWIG) 2017 sees a staggering 1 million complaints across Malaysia in the year 2015 and 2016. Malaysian Water Forum (FAM) and National Consumer Complaints Centre (NCCC) also recorded complaints - ranging from water bill, supply disruption, customer service, rationing schedule, among others.
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A recent move to halt license renewal of vehicle owners who fail to change their defective airbag is welcomed - however it requires a more structured solution. A first glance to online feedback on this move highlights a critical problem - shortage of spare parts from brand owners which deters owners to change their defective parts at timely manner. This is one of few issues in recall process that requires our attention.
Product recall is a process of retrieving and replacing goods that are defective with company. Brand owners are responsible to notify the public and recall the product from use at timely manner. An effective recall ensures smooth replacement of defective parts to without minimum inconvenience and risk to the users/ buyers.
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Tough balancing act between company revenue and lowering cost for consumers
IT is a case of missed opportunity. The universal service provision (USP) fund – money collected from telco players that goes towards improving infrastructure and connectivity nationwide – could have been close to RM15bil since it was set up. It has been used in a number of ways to help with connectivity, but the one crucial missing link is that the money has not been used to improve the fibre-optic network in Malaysia.
As it stands, Malaysia’s record on fixed-line broadband penetration is poor. The USP fund has been used for a number of reasons such as giving out notebooks to creating small Internet booths.
The other missed opportunity as seen by industry experts is in the use of predominantly wireless technology over fixed-line broadband to wire up the 10,000 schools in the country. Had fibre optics been used, access would have been opened to all players and competition would have driven broadband prices down and improved the quality of broadband services and speed.
These were the costly mistakes made and it explains why small towns and rural Malaysia still rely on wireless options for broadband access when fibre is really the king of connections in this digital age.
Despite this, 80% of Malaysians have access to the Internet, the level of developed countries, but that is due to mobile services. However, only 9% of the 7.6 million houses in the country are connected with fast broadband.
The luckiest lot are the urbanites, who have access to fast fixed broadband, speed and choice of operators even though price and affordability remain an issue.
Fixed broadband is indeed pricey, even though operators keep saying it is the best rate and have been reducing prices.
“Some living in sub-urban centres and small towns have been pining for a fixed fast speed connection, but are just not getting it even though a node may be near the next block. Besides affordable packages, there is no business case to do so as operators do not see a viable return on investment to dig and lay the fibre.
“It is a story of profit triumphing over the national agenda. You could say it is for selfish reasons, but that is what corporations do. They exist because of profits and their shareholders expect that too,” says the CEO of a company who requested anonymity.
However, the right to Internet/broadband access is now a basic human right and it has become more intense with digitalisation. Fast fixed broadband is the way to go.
In its June 2018 report, the World Bank Malaysia’s Economic Monitor said that access to fixed broadband services is a pre-requisite for the widespread adoption of innovative technologies, especially more advanced applications such as data analytics, the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence, not just by businesses, but also to support improved public service delivery and growing demand of households.
A serious lack of competition has been cited as the reason why prices are high and speed low for broadband. Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) controls 92.2% of the market share – a lot higher than other leading firms globally.
The World Bank report says that in terms of price per Mbps, Malaysia ranks 74 out of 167 countries for fixed broadband services and 64 out of 118 for fibre broadband services. This places Malaysia behind regional competitors such as Vietnam and countries with similar levels of economic development such as Mexico and Turkey.
How can prices be brought down? There is also a need to build more fast broadband infrastructure, but who wants to volunteer when the cost of laying the fibre is high and returns are about to dwindle?
The two major barriers to digital adoption cited by businesses in the country are quality and affordability – slow Internet connection and lack of affordable broadband plans, according to the World Bank report.
The case is the same for households.
In the first three months of the year, the broadband penetration rate dipped to 115% from 117% a quarter earlier. But mobile penetration rates are a notch higher to 132.9% from 131.2% per 100 population for the same period.
There were about 2.6 million fixed broadband subscriptions as at March 31, and 35.3 million mobile broadband subscribers, according to data compiled by industry regulator, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).
If two years ago, operators refused to push down prices, now they are being forced to do so by the new Communications and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo, who has ordered prices to be lowered by 25% by year-end.
At current levels, the cheapest pricing for fixed broadband is RM119 per month for 10Mbps, which is out of the reach of the B40 group. Maxis offers 10Mbps at RM119 per month and TM RM129, but Time dotCom Bhd’s lowest package is for 100Mbps at RM149 a month in download speed.
The case for affordability
A recent online survey conducted by the Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) showed that people want a cap on the minimum package at RM60/10Mbps.
But some industry players are looking at RM80 a month for 10Mbps as an affordable package.
The downward price revision is possible, as the wholesale access cost has been mandated since June 8. This could not be done earlier even though the new access pricing was out in January because the regulator could not push it through the players.
Now, players have no choice but to implement it, although it really depends on TM and how fast it can agree on the terms with the access seekers for fast broadband. In this case, it is predominately Maxis Bhd.
The new mandatory standard on access pricing (MSAP) allows for a 30% to 60% drop in prices, and that should translate to better packages for users. However, the consumers will have to wait and see if prices will drop that much.
CIMB Research believes that it “remains a key risk factor” for TM to drop prices for wholesale access. “If retail service providers (that buy wholesale from TM) lower their fibre broadband prices, TM may need to eventually extend its price cuts to the non-B40 segment as well in order to defend its subscriber base,” it says.
At 25%, the markdown is just a slap on the wrist, but if prices drop by 50%, operators’ earnings will be affected. However, this is a volume game and the effects may be mitigated.
“The fixed broadband segment under TM’s unifi, Maxis Home Fibre and Time dotCom faces daunting prospects of declining Arpus (average revenue per user) amid the government’s plan to develop a data-intensive social economy,” says AmInvestment Bank Research.
Maxis, in response to queries from StarBizWeek, says that with the wholesale price reduction, it enables it to offer more affordable fibre broadband packages and even better services. It is committed to providing its customers with great value, and will announce “exciting updates to our Maxis Home Fibre broadband range very soon”.
Celcom Axiata Bhd adds that “lower broadband packages and prices for consumers are aligned with our ongoing commitment and focus on delivering an awesome customer experience”.
“Operating in a highly competitive market, we have continuously innovated affordable products and services for all segments of society to easily access the Internet, with data passes as affordable as RM1 on prepaid, and RM38-per-month plans for postpaid. We remain steadfast to enable greater inclusion and participation of Malaysians in the digital economy,” says Digi.Com Bhd.
But even before any player can sign the wholesale access agreement, TM has gone ahead and launched a 30Mpbs package at RM100 per month to lure the B40 population. It also wants to increase the speed of other packages instead of dropping prices.
Its move is not seen too kindly by some players, who feel that it is “unfair” and “it is trying to corner the market ahead of signing the wholesale agreements”.
Some users have expressed disappointment that TM wants to offer more speed instead of dropping prices for its packages, as to them it “goes against the grain of dropping prices”. However, TM’s move can be understood to a certain extent as it wants to maintain its Arpus.
MSAP may be vital but for Malaysia to reap all the potential benefits offered by the emergence of the digital economy, it needs an extensive fixed broadband infrastructure.
Laying more fibre optics means more investment, and not many companies are willing to invest, as the gestation period is between five and seven years for laying fibre in the ground. Maxis wanted to go big in the fibre business decades ago but decided to pull back because of the huge investments involved. It now rides on TM’s high-speed broadband (HSBB) for its home broadband business even though it has also wired up parts of the country.
Even for HSBB, the government had to fork out money together with TM to build the fast network. The sub-urban connections that are being done is also supported by the government.
The World Bank report says that only about 8% of Malaysian households (of the 7.6 million) use fibre broadband services, at a slow growth rate. In comparison, the rate of adoption of these services in Singapore, South Korea and Japan stands at 99%, 85% and 60%, respectively. Most Malaysians are connected to the Internet via their mobile networks, with Malaysia’s mobile broadband penetration rate being one of the highest in the region, ahead of many OECD countries.
Rural folk makes up 62% of the country’s total population.
“The very rural areas cannot be wired up with fibre, which is essentially about 20% of the populated areas in the country. But fast fixed broadband is missing even in secondary towns and parts of the urban centres, which is an addressable market.
“Just in these areas, there are about three million homes where 1.2 million potential subscribers are sitting and wanting faster connections. Some of them are stuck with 2Mbps to 8Mbps speed now,” says a source.
Fibre infrastructure
TM says there are 1.4 million unused unifi ports nationwide and hopefully with lower prices, these can be used. Opening the nodes to competition can also help, but the onus should be on the respective players to do the last-mile connectivity. Apart from players like Time dotCom and Maxis, even Celcom, Digi and U Mobile should get into the fixed broadband game to help in the laying of more fibre optics for last-mile connectivity.
It is a fact that for too long, the players have been cherry picking the areas where they can get fat returns. However, the suggestion is to zone up the sub-urban, small town and rural areas and make it mandatory for all players to help wire up the nation with fibre.
“But they should be given access to the USP funds, if there is any left,” says an industry source.
Staying connected: Most Malaysians are connected to the Internet via their mobile networks, with Malaysia’s mobile broadband penetration rate being one of the highest in the region.
Recently, Gobind called for a probe on the MCMC and USP funds, which are in excess of RM9bil.
But the cost of laying the fibre can be too costly, especially in rural (where appropriate) and sub-rural areas.
One CEO of a telco suggests that fibre optics be used to connect the schools in the country. Once the schools are wired up there can be expansion of fibre into surrounding areas.
The cheaper option is to use the aerial fibre concept by running fibre on poles, be it existing light poles or installing new poles specially for this purpose, than underground.
However, this has to be done by using the USP funds, where all players will have to do their part, and access be open to all.
As it is, TM has poles running all over the country, using them to connect landed properties and the likes. If this pole access is open to other players to run fibre cables, it can potentially help “fiberise” the country, and hopefully faster, says an industry source.
“The question is, will they allow for sharing,” asks a source.
Apart from TM, Tenaga Nasional Bhd also has an extensive network of poles in the country to carry its power cables that can be tapped into. However, there are some technical issues that need to be sorted out if that is an option, the source says.
In terms of cost, laying fibre into the ground in city centres could be as high as RM200,000 per kilometer, and for rural areas below RM100,000, he adds.
However, for the aerial option, the cost is a quarter of that, as it is well below RM15,000 per kilometer although it would depend on the location and other factors.
He adds that there must be seriousness on the part of all the players in wanting to wire up the country and not just trade licences, with access being given to all.
Only with competition can prices come down. Otherwise, it will take a very long time to digitalise the country.
Source :: https://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2018/07/07/profit-versus-national-agenda/#YmtDAIJqzlAm3TgK.99
7 Julai 2018, The Star Online
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THE right to Internet access, also known as the right to broadband or freedom to connect, is now a basic human right.
From July until August 2012, the Internet Society, an American non-profit organisation founded in 1992 to provide leadership in Internet-related standards, education, access and policy, conducted online interviews involving more than 10,000 Internet users in 20 countries.
Among the statements posed to the participants was “Access to the Internet should be considered a basic human right”, to which 83% responded that they somewhat or strongly agreed.
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Kuala Lumpur: Harga barangan dijangka meningkat berikutan kenaikan tarif elektrik pengguna komersial, sekali gus menjejaskan golongan berpendapatan rendah.
Timbalan Presiden Gabungan Persatuan-Persatuan Pengguna Malaysia (FOMCA), Mohd Yusof Abdul Rahman berkata, walaupun peningkatan tarif elektrik berkenaan hanya membabitkan sektor komersial timbul kebimbangan pengilang dan peniaga meletakkan kos berkenaan kepada pengguna.
Beliau berkata, ada segelintir pihak yang sentiasa mengambil peluang dengan menaikkan harga barangan jualan masing-masing apabila berlakunya peningkatan kadar caj bahan api, elektrik dan air.
“Kita kena lihat perkara ini secara meluas iaitu berbincang dengan pihak berkepentingan supaya pengguna tidak terbeban berikutan peningkatan harga barangan.
“Melihat kepada keadaan ekonomi semasa yang tidak menentu, adalah lebih baik perkara ini dielakkan kerana kos sara hidup pasti meningkat,” katanya ketika dihubungi, semalam.
Sementara itu, Setiausaha Usahawan Digital Selangor, Mohd Adzim Rahman berkata, peniaga yang bergantung kepada elektrik untuk menjana pendapatan kemungkinan besar akan terkesan dengan kenaikan tarif elektrik berkenaan.
“Industri elektronik atau yang membabitkan penggunaan jentera dan mesin pasti terkesan dengan peningkatan tarif itu , sekali gus meningkatan kos operasi mereka dan akhirnya harga barang naik,” katanya.
Berikutan peningkatan kos sebanyak 1.35 sen/kWj, kerajaan memutuskan kos itu dilepaskan dalam bentuk surcaj, kos tak berimbang (ICPT) kepada semua pengguna bukan domestik di Semenanjung Malaysia bagi tempoh 1 Julai hingga 31 Disember depan.
Suruhanjaya Tenaga (ST) dalam kenyataan semalam memaklumkan kerajaan turut menetapkan surcaj ICPT itu dikecualikan kepada semua pengguna domestik bagi tempoh sama.
“Pelarasan ICPT ini tidak membabitkan pengguna domestik dengan penggunaan elektrik tidak melebihi
300 kWj.
“Bagi pengguna domestik dengan penggunaan elektrik melebihi 300 kWj, mereka akan mengalami penurunan atau kenaikan yang minimum dalam bil elektrik, iaitu dianggarkan antara RM0.09 dan RM4.89 sebulan, dengan mengambil kira pelaksanaan kadar 0% cukai barang dan perkhidmatan (GST) bermula 1 Jun lalu,” katanya dalam kenyataan itu.
Sumber :: https://www.hmetro.com.my/mutakhir/2018/06/353185/harga-barang-dijangka-naik
30 Jun 2018 Harian Metro
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KUALA LUMPUR 19 Jun - Sudah tiba masanya caj perkhidmatanantara lima hingga 10 peratus yang dikenakan ke atas pelanggan oleh pihak pengurusan restoran rantaian francise dan hotel di seluruh negara dikaji semula kerana ia ternyata tidak adil kepada pihak pelanggan.
Walaupun sekitar tahun 2015 isu pelaksanaan caj perkhidmatan pernah dipersoalkan kepada kerajaan dan agensi-agensi berkenaan namun desakan yang dikemukakan oleh pihak Gabungan Persatuan-Persatuan Pengguna Malaysia (FOMCA) tidak diambil kira.
Timbalan Presiden FOMCA, Mohd. Yusof Abdul Rahman berkata, ramai pengguna menyuarakan rasa tidak puas hati kerana caj perkhidmatan yang dikenakan adalah berbentuk tips atau upah lebihan kepada pelayan di restoran-restoran rantaian francise dan hotel atas beberapa alasan yang tidak lagi relevan.
“Walaupun sekarang ini kadar cukai barang dan perkhidmatan (GST) adalah pada kadar sifar tetapi caj perkhidmatan tetap dibenarkan oleh kerajaan baharu.
“Memang pada tahun 2015 telah timbul isu caj perkhidmatan yang turut ditanggung oleh pelanggan tetapi memang tidak ada pihak berkuasa yang menentukan sama ada caj perkhidmatan ini dibawah bidang kuasa siapa.
“Apabila diajukan kepada pihak Kementerian Kewangan, jawapan diterima adalah bukan dibawah kementerian berkenaan dan apabila diajukan pula kepada pihak Kementerian Perdagangan Dalam Negeri, Koperasi dan Kepenggunaan (KPDNKK), pun mereka menolak,” katanya ketika dihubungi wartawan Utusan Online di sini, hari ini.
Beliau berkata, alasan yang diberikan oleh pihak restoran dan hotel tidak lagi boleh diguna pakai hari ini kerana restoran rantaian francise seperti Paparich tidak sepatutnya mengenakan caj perkhimatan sehingga 10 peratus kerana pelayan tidak memberikan layanan dari mula sehingga akhir iaitu mengambil pesanan makanan daripada pelanggan di meja pelanggan dan membawa makanan yang dipesan ke meja pelanggan.
“Memang tidak adil bagi pelanggan yang makan kerana pelanggan membuat pesanan melalui kertas menu yang disediakan dan ditulis sendiri oleh pelanggan. Ini sudah kira layan diri dan bukan layanan sepenuhnya daripada pelayan.
“Manakala pihak hotel pula tidak lagi boleh menggunakan alasan mengenakan caj perkhidmatan kerana upah atau gaji asas pelayan hotel rendah. Kita sekarang ini sudah ada upah atau gaji minima yang bukan lagi pada tahap gaji asas atau pokok sebanyak RM300,” ujarnya.
Katanya lagi, pihak pengusaha dan pengurusan hotel sepatutnya sudah menaikkan taraf gaji minima pekerja atau pelayan hotel dan mereka sudah tidak boleh lagi bergantung kepada caj perkhidmatan untuk dijadikan sebagai tips kepada pekerja-pekerja hotel.
Mohd. Yusof turut menambah, perbincangan dengan pihak KPDNKK pernah diadakan untuk meminimakan kadar caj perkhidmatan yang selama ini dikenakan antara lima ke 10 peratus tetapi tidak membuahkan sebarang hasil.
“Oleh yang demikian, pihak FOMCA menggesa kerajaan baharu mengkaji semula caj perkhidmatan yang membebankan pengguna.
“KIta mahu kerajaan baharu ini lebih mesra pengguna dan mendengar suara pengguna,” katanya. - UTUSAN ONLINE
Sumber : http://www.utusan.com.my/berita/nasional/caj-perkhidmatan-di-restoran-francise-hotel-perlu-dikaji-semula-fomca-1.692903#ixzz5KFLP4lyb
19 JUN 2017 Utusan Melayu (M) Bhd
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