- Details
January 24, 2021 @ 3:26pm
KUALA LUMPUR: Consumer groups are calling on Bank Negara to include them in negotiations related to easing the expenses of those who are forced to go to private hospitals due to the pandemic.
Malaysian Muslim Consumer Association lead activist Datuk Nadzim Johan said consumer associations should be given a seat at the table during these discussions.
"This is due diligence. We need to ensure people's interests are protected and there are no loopholes for others to manoeuvre the discussion against this spirit.
"We can't, for instance, have the cost for private hospitalisation for Covid-19 or otherwise covered in exchange for higher premiums," he said, adding that the association had received lots of insurance cases recently.
He said opening up discussions to associations such as theirs would enable people to gauge whether the terms and conditions were impressed on the insurance providers.
"The overarching fact is that Malaysia is facing an emergency and everyone has to tackle it together.
"And this means that all stakeholders, be they the government, private hospitals or patients, must absorb the costs together, equitably."
Read more: Bank Negara urged to include consumer groups in talks
- Details
January 21, 2021 @ 9:00am
KUALA LUMPUR: Private hospitals are urging the government to compel insurance companies to revise their policies and cover the treatment cost of Covid-19 patients.
Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia (APHM) president Datuk Dr Kuljit Singh said this was the most decent solution in light of the state of emergency.
"Rejecting patients for us means coughing up fines up to RM5 million or jail time.
"While we are happy to help the government, some of us will take in patients at the risk of going belly-up.
"But the same is not expected of insurance companies."
"The government has to make similar demands (with the insurance companies) so that we can treat them without burdening taxpayers," Dr Kuljit told the New Straits Times.
He was referring to new laws under the state of emergency which allow the government to direct private hospitals to take in Covid-19 patients and give public healthcare facilities some breathing space.
Earlier, Dr Kuljit appealed to the government to consider the plight of insurance policyholders who could not go to hospitals that were full and had no option but to come to private facilities and pay out of their own pocket.
Read more: 'Compel insurance firms to cover Covid-19 treatment'
- Details
Januari 20, 2021 12:52 MYT
KUALA LUMPUR: Kerajaan diminta campur tangan untuk mengawal selia kos ujian swab COVID-19 yang dilihat masih berada pada kadar yang tinggi.
Pakar Kesihatan Awam, Fakulti Perubatan dan Sains Kesihatan, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Prof Madya Dr Malina Osman berkata, satu mekanisme penetapan harga perlu dibuat lantaran ujian tersebut dilihat sebagai satu keperluan pada ketika ini.
"Saya bagi contoh, macam kos saringan daripada tahun lepas hingga sekarang, jika kita bandingkan dalam tempoh 10 bulan, tidak banyak berkurangan dalam tempoh tersebut.
"Masih lagi dalam julat tiga digit iaitu antara RM100 ke RM300.
"Dalam keadaan sekarang ini, apabila jangkitan sudah meningkat dalam komuniti, wajar kos tersebut dikurangkan dan dimanfaatkan oleh lebih ramai individu," katanya ketika ditemu bual Astro AWANI hari ini.
Jelasnya, sekiranya kos saringan dapat dikurangkan, banyak manfaat akan diperoleh termasuk mengurangkan beban proses pengesanan kontak yang perlu dilakukan pihak Kementerian Kesihatan (KKM).
"Apabila murah, di kalangan keluarga yang dekat ataupun kontak rapat, mereka dapat tampil ke hadapan untuk membuat saringan secara sendiri dan seterusnya mengambil tindakan lebih awal.
"Ia jauh lebih baik daripada menunggu barisan hadapan untuk hadir atau memberi cadangan-cadangan dan arahan yang berkenaan.
Read more: COVID-19: Kerajaan perlu campur tangan, kawal selia kos ujian saringan
- Details
January 19, 2021 1:45 PM
PUTRAJAYA: The calculation for late delivery payment to house buyers begins from the date the booking fee is paid, and not when the sale and purchase agreement (SPA) is signed, the Federal Court ruled today.
Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat said the Housing Development (Control & Licensing) 1966 and its subsidiary laws were social legislation and that was a settled law.
In a dispute brought before the court, the developers contended that the scheduled contracts must be read literally and in accordance with the intention of parties.
“It is our view that the submission is untenable. When it comes to interpreting social legislation, the courts must give effect to the intention of Parliament and not the intention of parties,” Tengku Maimun said.
“Otherwise, the attempt by the legislature to level the playing field by mitigating the inequality of bargaining power would be rendered nugatory and illusory,” she said in the judgment to allow seven appeals by purchasers.
The purchasers, from Melaka and Kuala Lumpur, had hauled the developers – PJD Regency Sdn Bhd, GJH Avenue Sdn Bhd and Sri Damansara Sdn Bhd – before the housing tribunal over the payment of the liquidated ascertained damages.
Read more: Late delivery payment begins from booking fee collection, says court
- Details
January 25, 2021 @ 4:37pm
SURGING Covid-19 cases worldwide has recorded up to 2 million fatalities to date (that is about 10 per cent of the total death during WW1), witnessed an overwhelming demand for medical attention in hospitals, necessitating medical institutions to have sufficient supplies of personal protection equipment (PPE).
The demand for polymer-based PPE is also observed among enforcement personnel and civilians. PPE such as gloves, face masks, face shields, and coveralls are not just used in the medical sector but also heavily used as a part of household products and among service industries including cashiers, petrol pump and flight attendants, customer service staffs, and security guards to limit and eventually inhibit the Covid-19 infection.
Many food handlers and eateries used more plastic than usual to protect their edibles from being medium of infection. The continuous demand for polymer-based PPE is alarmingly jeopardising the environment.
The disposal of used PPE in the medical sector is regulated by the local authorities, which are normally classified as biohazards. A more dire situation of polymer waste handling is focused on single used PPE among civilians.
Recently, we were alarmed with the news of plastic waste found in marine life carcasses and an unborn baby's placenta, which an indication of our negligence and improper plastic waste handling.
Used face masks and gloves were also seen being thrown away in the landfill and public areas. The pandemic emphasised the essential role of polymer in our daily life and at the same time, creating a distressing issue of waste accumulation.
- Details
LONDON: Malaysian students in the United Kingdom can now turn to Mercy Care Helpline to deal with issues that affect their mental health in the time of Covid-19.
Mercy Care Helpline or Talian Kasih Mercy is a confidential helpline from Mercy Malaysia UK (MMUK) in collaboration with the Malaysian High Commission, Education Malaysia Global Services, Public Service Department, Majlis Amanah Rakyat, Health & Wellbeing IKRAM UKE and the United Kingdom & Eire Council for Malaysian Students.
"There are many challenges in what we do. But for students in particular, away from friends and family in Malaysia, things can be much more difficult," said Zahid Rastam, the charge d'affaires ad-interim at the Malaysian High Commission in the UK, who launched the helpline virtually on Saturday.
Zahid described the initiative as timely and necessary, considering the current situation.
"This helpline is for Malaysian students to talk, to share whatever they feel (so that) early intervention can be provided to those who need help or have mental health issues," said Zahid.
He added that students faced academic pressures and expectations apart from financial problems and issues with accomodation and rent.
Covid-19 also created a lot of uncertainties and restrictions on people's movements and travel, forcing them into isolation.
Zahid said students were also concerned about whether they could see their families and friends in Malaysia again soon.
Read more: Talian Kasih Mercy helps Malaysian students cope with mental health issues
- Details
January 17, 2021 11:24 PM
KUALA LUMPUR: Insurance and takaful companies said today they are working with the health ministry and Bank Negara Malaysia to explore ways to ease some of the expenses of Covid-19 patients who are treated in private hospitals.
In a joint statement, the Life Insurance Association of Malaysia, General Insurance Association of Malaysia and Malaysian Takaful Association said pandemic-related risks are generally not covered under any insurance and takaful plans worldwide.
“The exclusion stems from the difficulty in pricing for coverage relating to an event like a pandemic that may occur once in a lifetime, having an incalculable impact and cost. Covid-19 is a pandemic; hence it is not insured or covered under medical and health insurance or takaful benefits,” they said.
However, most life insurers and takaful operators in Malaysia had provided supplementary benefits such as daily hospital income to be paid to the affected policy holders, the associations said.
They said they had put in place various relief measures to help policy holders cope with the financial impact of the pandemic.
The measures included the deferment of premiums, which have helped more than one million policy holders, whose premiums amounted to more than RM1.6 billion.
Read more: Insurance companies seeking ways to ease patients’ expenses
- Details
Tuesday, 12 Jan 2021 | 12:35 PM MYT
A female student lost RM84,600 after being deceived by a digital currency investment scam advertised on Facebook.
Melaka Commercial Crime Investigation Department chief Supt E. Sundra Rajan said in the incident on Jan 5, the 25-year-old victim was by the suspect via WhatsApp and briefed about investing in bitcoin.
He said the victim, who studies at a private higher learning institution, was promised a lucrative return within 72 hours, and was instructed to register on a website between Jan 5 and Jan 8.
"The victim made several payments to five different accounts in stages to buy bitcoin totaling RM84,600.
"The suspect continued to direct the victim to make payments until she ran out of money, which led the victim to inform her family members," he said in a statement, Tuesday.
Sundra said the victim then lodged a police report on Jan 8 at the Tengkera Police Station and the case was being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for fraud.
In the meantime, he advised the public not to be fooled by advertisements and offers to participate in investments that promise lucrative returns in a short time, as well as to obtain investment-related information through official sources such as Bank Negara Malaysia and Securities Commission. – Bernama
Source: https://www.thestar.com.my/tech/tech-news/2021/01/12/student-loses-rm84600-in-digital-currency-scam#.X_2C951tutI.whatsapp
- Details
13 Jan 2021, 8:22 am
The General Insurance Association of Malaysia (PIAM) has given its assurance that the proclamation of emergency, which began on Jan 11 and will last until August, won't void general insurance claims.
"PIAM wishes to assure all general insurance policyholders that claims incurred during the Emergency Proclamation period will be paid according to their policy terms and conditions.
"All policyholders, both businesses and individuals, are advised to obtain more
information from their respective insurance companies," it said in a statement.
Yesterday, Istana Negara confirmed the Yang di-Pertuan Agong had consented to a national state of emergency at the government's request.
Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said the emergency is to combat the spread of Covid-19 and assured that elections will be restored once the pandemic is under control.
In his speech on the proclamation of emergency, Muhyiddin also noted efforts to pressure him into holding snap polls during the pandemic, something which the prime minister said he is unwilling to do.
Umno has accused Muhyiddin of using the emergency to get around the fact that he now runs a minority government.
Three Umno MPs have renounced Muhyiddin to date, leaving him in control of 109 out of 220 MPs. Two more seats are vacant.
Source: https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/558715
- Details
Monday, 04 Jan 2021 3:40 PM MYT
Malaysian households will now be able to apply for an RM200 e-rebate to buy locally-made energy-efficient refrigerators or air conditioners.
Users could apply for the Sustainability Achieved via Energy Efficiency (Save 2.0) programme via the Shopee app, and get an approval within 14 days.
Once approved, users would get RM200 credited to their app wallet.
The programme was available on a first-come-first-serve basis for Malaysians registered with a domestic electric utility company (Tenaga Nasional Bhd, Sarawak Energy Bhd or Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd).
The Sustainable Energy Development Authority (Seda) is executing the programme, in collaboration with the Energy Commission and Shopee.
It aimed to educate the public about energy-efficient appliances and increase the adoption of appliances with four or five star energy ratings.
Last November, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Datuk Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah announced the programme would benefit 140,000 households using an RM30mil allocation under Budget 2021.
Subcategories
Page 42 of 232