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

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

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

 

 


KUALA LUMPUR - Kementerian Perdagangan Dalam Negeri, Koperasi dan Kepenggunaan (KPDNKK) melaksanakan Skim Kawalan Harga Musim Perayaan (SKHMP) sejak 2000 bagi melindungi pengguna daripada peniaga yang mengaut cuba keuntungan berlebihan.

 

Menerusi SKHMP, pengguna mudah mendapatkan barang keperluan dengan harga siling yang ditetapkan pada musim perayaan, bagaimanapun ia berbeza tahun ini apabila kebanyakan peniaga mengambil kesempatan menaikkan harga barang basah berikutan berakhirnya Pilihan Raya Umum ke-14 (PRU14).

 

Berikutan itu, pada sidang media 30 Mei lepas, Perdana Menteri Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad mengumumkan pelaksanaan SKHMP bagi mengekang peniaga menaikkan harga barang terutamanya barang basah melebihi harga yang ditetapkan KPDNKK menjelang sambutan Aidilfitri ini.

 

 

 

Timbalan Presiden Gabungan Persatuan-Persatuan Pengguna Malaysia (Fomca), Mohd Yusof Abdul Rahman berkata peniaga yang tidak bertanggungjawab sering mengambil kesempatan menaikkan harga setiap kali pengumuman kenaikan harga barang asas, seperti harga petrol, kadar tol dan tarif elektrik dibuat.

 

“Kenaikan harga barang asas itu sebenarnya hanya memberi kesan minima kepada kenaikan kos harian peniaga dan mereka kerap memberi alasan menaikkan harga kerana kos pengangkutan.

 

“Walaupun KPDNKK mewujudkan Akta Kawalan Harga dan Antipencatutan 2011, namun ia dilihat tidak berjaya sepenuhnya dalam mengekang peniaga yang tidak bertanggungjawab menaikkan harga apabila tiada pemantauan dibuat pihak berkuasa,” katanya.

 

Mohd Yusof berkata Fomca berharap kerajaan akan memastikan akta tersebut terus dilaksanakan agar rakyat tidak dibebani dengan peningkatan harga daripada peniaga pada masa depan.

 

Selain itu, beliau menasihatkan pengguna untuk membuat aduan kepada KPDNKK atau pihak berwajib sekiranya mendapati peniaga menaikkan harga barang keperluan melebihi harga yang ditetapkan bagi membantu KPDNKK mengesan golongan yang tidak bertanggungjawab itu.

 

“Pengguna boleh juga menghentikan pembelian barang yang dinaikkan harga, ia dapat memberi tekanan kepada peniaga untuk menurunkan harga pada kadar yang berpatutan,” katanya.

 

Mohd Yusof berkata walaupun tahun ini KPDNKK tidak melancarkan Skim Kawalan Harga Bulan Ramadan, namun anggota penguat kuasa KPDNKK perlu meneruskan pemantauan harga seperti biasa.

 

Dalam perkembangan lain, beliau bersetuju dengan saranan bekas Presiden Fomca Datuk Prof Mohd Hamdan Adnan agar kerajaan mempertimbangkan tubuh jawatankuasa khas atau suruhanjaya bagi memperhalus keperluan dan hak-hak pengguna di negara ini.

 

Jawatankuasa tersebut berperanan mengambil tindakan terhadap penjualan produk dan makanan tidak selamat kepada pengguna kerana ketika ini didapati banyak alat mainan kanak-kanak, alat ganti kenderaan, kosmetik, ubat-ubatan yang tidak selamat dijual secara berleluasa tanpa kawalan, katanya.- Bernama

 

 

 

 

 

Sumber :: http://www.sinarharian.com.my/nasional/pengguna-kena-bantu-pantau-peniaga-cekik-darah-1.844845

Sinar Hairan 11 Jun 2018

It is ironic that Malaysia which is blessed with 2,500 mm rainfall annually, should experience water shortages. For many households, especially in Selangor, Kedah, Penang, Pahang, Johor and Kelantan, water is an unreliable source. Water cuts are frequent. Consumers are always stressed and worried; will there be water tomorrow? Or will they be getting in a WhatsApp message that there will be water disruptions because of a burst pipe or read in the newspaper that thousands or even millionsof households will not be having water supply due to contamination at the water processing plant that serves their area. Consumers are even more stressed when a festive season is approaching or they are planning a family event such as a weeding. Will there be water? Water disruptions have become too common, causing stress and pain for consumers and households. Consumers simply have no trust and confidence in the water system in this country.

 

Three major causes of these water disruptions are broken pipes, water pollution and rapid urbanisation. Broken pipes are the cause of non-revenue water losses.  They are also causes of unscheduled water disruptions causing pain and suffering to consumers. Water pollution is perhaps the biggest cause of contaminated water and thus water disruptions to households. Water pollution is primarily caused by industrial waste, sewage and waste water, chemical fertilisers and pesticides, dumping of garbage and leakage from landfills. Deforestation and excessive logging also contribute to water wastage and water contamination. Thirdly, the expanding urban population and the excessive use of water by consumers also leads to water wastage and water shortages.

What is the way forward? Cleary, the responsibility of reliable, safe and affordable water rests on both federal and state government and several agencies. Most importantly, water issues should not be politicised.  Water constitutes a basic human need for all. Safe water is necessary for human consumption and to sustain life. Planning for a reliable water supply thus needs a holistic approach. Thus Forum Air Malaysia strongly proposes that federal and state agencies put their differences aside to focus on the need to provide reliable, safe and affordable water to consumers. There should also be greater inter-agency cooperation and collaboration, to ensure especially that water pollution threats are minimised, if not entirely eliminated.  There should be greater cooperation and collaboration between state water operators and SPAN, the water regulator to ensure that consumers in the states have access to safe and reliable water. SPAN should focus on regulating and enforcing the water industry to comply with established standards and practices to ensure reliability, safety and affordability of water supply to households.  Finally, on the demand side more awareness and education programmes need to be undertaken to promote better water consumption and conservation by consumers. Consumers in Malaysia consume way above the international standards of water consumption.  Better awareness and education should promote more responsible water consumption.

Datuk Paul Selva Raj

 

President, Forum Air Malaysia

 

 

Pada tahun 2016, Pusat Khidmat Aduan Pengguna (NCCC) telah menerima aduan daripada 48,563, yang melibatkan nilai kerugian sebanyak RM255,623,706.00. Jumlah aduan telah meningkat sebanyak 8.6% berbanding tahun sebelumnya.

 

Laporan ini meliputi semua jenis aduan yang diterima merentasi 22 sektor yang berbeza hasil daripada pembelian barangan dan / atau perkhidmatan pengguna.

 

Laporan tahunan NCCC merekodkan bahawa sektor e-dagang menerima aduan tertinggi pada tahun 2016, dan diikuti oleh Produk Pengguna Am dan Sektor Telekomunikasi.

 

Dari segi nilai kewangan, aduan yang berkaitan dengan sektor Automobil dan Auto-bengkel mencatat jumlah kerugian yang tertinggi, dengan kerugian sebanyak RM 79,181,869.

 

RAMAI PEMBELI AKAN MENJADI MANGSA PEDAGANG PALSU - PENGGUNA PERLU BERHATI-HATI!

 

Ramai rakyat Malaysia membeli-belah dalam talian untuk membeli pelbagai jenis produk di seluruh dunia, seperti pakaian, perkhidmatan hiburan, produk elektronik, penjagaan kulit dan produk peribadi, terutamanya selepas pengenalan internet berkelajuan tinggi yang boleh dinikmati untuk semua orang.

 

Kini, dengan kemudahan internet ini, pengguna telah mengubah cara mereka membeli, iaitu mereka membeli secara elektronik tanpa halangan masa atau jarak.

 

Malangnya, e-dagang telah mendahului aduan pengguna, apabila ia mencatat jumlah aduan yang tertinggi bagi tiga tahun berturut-turut. Masalah yang kerap dihadapi oleh pengguna adalah tidak mendapat produk yang dipesan, barang tersebut telahpun dibayar tetapi gagal dihantar kepada pengguna.

 

Salah satu masalah yang besar semasa membeli sesuatu barang dalam talian adalah pengguna tidak mempunyai jaminan terhadap kualiti produk yang dibeli. Ulasan/review dan dakwa penyelidikan juga tidak selalunya boleh dipercayai.

 

Penjual yang berniat untuk menipu, dengan sengaja mengelirukan pelanggan dengan mempalsukan ulasan dalam talian untuk meningkatkan jualan, yang menjadi penyebab utama produk yang rosak / sub-par dijual dalam talian.

 

Laporan ini juga turut memfokuskan kepada aspek perundangan sedia ada, cadangan untuk penambahbaikan serta panduan untuk pengguna membeli-belah dalam talian.

 

ADUAN TERHADAP INDUSTRI AUTOMOBIL

 

Industri automobil mengekalkan nilai monetari tertinggi dalam pertikaian yang dicatatkan oleh NCCC sejak tahun 2011. Pda tahun 2016, nilai kerugian yang dicatat ialah RM79,181,869.00.

 

Oleh kerana pengeluar kereta menawarkan harga kereta yang mampu dimiliki oleh rakyat Malaysia, ini menyebabkan lebih banyak rakyat Malaysia yang memiliki kereta.

 

Untuk mengurangkan kos untuk memastikan tahap kemampuan tersebut, maka kualiti kereta mungkin telah dikompromasi yang menyebabkan peningkatan aduan dari segi nilai kerugian.

 

Apa yang mengecewakan ialah kebanyakan aduan yang diterima oleh NCCC berkaitan dengan pengeluar kereta tempatan. Namun begitu, aduan yang diterima terhadap kereta import juga tidak kurang jumlahnya.

 

Corak aduan menunjukkan bahawa pusat-pusat perkhidmatan di Malaysia tidak sensitif terhadap aduan pelanggan kerana aduan kebanyakannya diabaikan atau ditinggalkan.

 

Walaupun adanya undang-undang, masalah yang berlaku seolah-oleh tidak ada penyelesaian.

 

Kebanyakan pengadu masih menghadapi masalah yang sama. Ini akan menyebabkan seseorang itu hilang kepercayaan kepada pengeluar tersebut dan pihak berkuasa kerana tidak mampu menyelesaikan masalah mereka.

 

Tanpa wujudnya badan pengawalseliaan yang memantau dan mengambil tindakan terhadap industri automobil, maka pembuat kereta hendaklah menjalankan kajian yang lebih mendalam mengenai kebolehgunaan dan kemampanan aksesori kereta, alat ganti, sama ada untuk kereta baru atau kereta terpakai.

 

Di samping itu, NCCC berpendapat bahawa perkhidmatan pelanggan selepas jualan juga tidak banyak membantu jika tidak ada sebarang ganti rugi yang boleh diberikan.

 

Dengan pelancaran Laporan Tahunan Aduan NCCC 2016, NCCC berharap bahawa semua pengilang dan pengawal selia mengambil perhatian terhadap cadangan-cadangan yang diberikan, bagi meningkatkan kualiti perkhidmatan dan khidmat pelanggan mereka untuk mendapatkan kepercayaan dan keyakinan daripada pengguna.

 

LAPORAN TAHUNAN ADUAN PENGGUNA NCCC 2016

 

Laporan Tahunan Aduan Pengguna NCCC 2016, merupakan laporan tahun yang ke-11 yang dikeluarkan oleh NCCC. Semua aduan tersebut dikelaskan kepada 22 kategori yang berasingan.

 

Sejumlah 48,563 aduan yang diterima pada tahun 2016, yang menyaksikan peningkatan jumlah aduan berbanding jumlah aduan yang diterima pada tahun sebelum ini. Peningkatan jumlah aduan ini disebabkan oleh aduan tersebut gagal diselesaikan pada tahap yang memuaskan.

 

Aduan tertinggi difokuskan pada sektor E-Dagang (Online Shopping), yang merekodkan sebanyak 7,371 aduan. Aduan kedua tertinggi bagi tahun 2016 adalah Produk Pengguna Am mencatatkan 6,578 aduan, manakala aduan mengenai perkhidmatan telekomunikasi dan jalur lebar pula berada di tempat ketiga, dengan jumlah aduan sebanyak 5,681.

 

Selain itu, NCCC juga menerima sejumlah 3,874 aduan terhadap industri automobil dan bengkel kenderaan. Walaupun aduan industri automobil ini menduduk tempat keempat, namun ia mencatatkan anggaran nilai kerugian kewangan yang tertinggi, iaitu sebanyak RM79,181,869.00. Pengadu mendakwa bahawa industri itu hanya berminat untuk membuat keuntungan dan membuat janji kosong semasa jualan.

 

Industri pelancongan kekal di tempat kelima pada 2016, merekodkan 3,458 aduan pada 2016. Kebanyakan aduan menunjukkan bahawa perkhidmatan yang diberikan kepada mereka semasa dalam perjalanan atau tempat penginapan adalah berbeza dengan apa yang telah dipersetujui pada awalnya. Agensi pelancongan ini didakwa sering memberi janji palsu untuk mendapatkan pelanggan dan kemudiannya menutup perniagaan.

 

TUJUAN LAPORAN TAHUNAN NCCC

 

Tujuan laporan tahunan 2016 adalah untuk memaklumkan kepada pihak-pihak yang berkaitan, seperti pengeluar dan peruncit mengenai jumlah aduan yang diterima menurut sektor masing-masing. Pengguna tidak berpuas hati dengan perkhidmatan yang diberikan.

 

Oleh itu, pengguna tersebut telah mendapatkan khidmat NCCC untuk membantu menyelesaikan masalah mereka. Aduan yang diterima oleh NCCC akan ditangani oleh para pegawai dengan sebaik mungkin.

 

Laporan tahunan ini bertujuan untuk meningkatkan perlindungan pengguna, dengan memastikan pengeluar dan peruncit meningkatkan kualiti dan perkhidmatan produk, berdasarkan maklum balas yang diterima oleh pengguna seperti yang dinyatakan dalam laporan ini.

 

Selain bertindak balas terhadap maklum balas yang diterima, laporan ini membentangkan undang-undang dan beberapa amalan terbaik yang boleh diterima pakai oleh pengguna untuk melindungi hak mereka dan bagaimana untuk menjadi pengguna yang bijak.

 

Biarpun begitu, masih terdapat ramai pengguna yang tidak membuat aduan terhadap masalah yang mereka hadapi, sebahagiannya disebabkan oleh pengguna yang tidak mengetahui hak mereka. Jika pengguna tidak mengetahui hak dan tanggungjawab mereka, walaupun terdapat banyak undang-undang yang sedia ada, ia tidak akan berkesan.

 

MENGENAI PUSAT KHIDMAT ADUAN PENGGUNA NASIONAL

 

Pusat Khidmat Aduan Pengguna Nasional (NCCC) telah ditubuhkan oleh Persatuan Pendidikan dan Penyelidikan untuk Pengguna Malaysia (ERA Consumer Malaysia) dan Persatuan Pengguna Selangor dan Wilayah Persekutuan dengan kerjasama Kementerian Perdagangan Dalam Negeri dan Hal Ehwal Pengguna.

 

NCCC secara rasminya dilancarkan oleh Menteri Perdagangan Dalam Negeri dan Hal Ehwal Pengguna, pada bulan Julai 2004. Ia telah diperbadankan sebagai Syarikat Menurut Jaminan pada 17 September 2008.


Since 1st July 2017, the motor insurance tariffs have been liberalised. Will this benefit consumers? It depends. Firstly, almost certainly markets benefit from liberalisation. When prices are regulated, there is no incentive to innovate, to target consumers and to take initiatives to provide value that would attract consumers. There is no incentive for service providers to differentiate their products, in relation to consumers, to attract them from other competitors. In theory at least, liberalisation promotes competition in the market and consumers should benefit through a greater range of product or services choices and better value for their hard-earned money. Will consumers then actually benefit? If after the liberalisation, the consumer continues with his old “package” because of “convenience”, and if prices do go up, complain to his friends and family that prices have gone up and maybe gets angry at the whole liberalisation regime, or on the other hand, if prices go down, feels elated that he has saved some money because of the liberalisation and says liberalisation is great; then the consumers have not benefitted from the liberalisation regime. But if on the other hand, when it is time to renew his motor insurance, the consumer, who now has a range of products and services being offered by various competing insurance companies, takes the time and the effort to understand the products and services and makes a conscious choice to get the best value for his money, than liberalisation would have benefitted him.

But this is difficult indeed. Beyond just understanding about third party and comprehensive coverage, the consumer may need to understand other terms such as named driver, special perils like floods coverage, legal liability of passengers, compensation for assessed repair time, car accessories coverage, road assistance coverage and other possible factors that provide value to the consumer. These values would certainly come at a price. Each consumer then has to make comparisons to make the best choice, in terms of value for money, for his particular needs. It is expected that websites comparing insurance value/price packages would crop up. Consumers may need to access these sites to make comparisons to get the best deal. Consumers also in a liberalised regime need to understand a new factor in tariff pricing. Risk. Insurance companies will now look at the risk factors of you as a driver. These would include age, years of driving experience, driving record, claims history, vehicle type and vehicle use. These factors will now be considered in pricing your insurance tariff. For example, a reckless driver with a bad driving record would certainly pay a higher premium than a driver with a “clean” record. Indeed, while liberalisation may be bring benefits to the market and consumer, there is one critical unintended effect. In moving from a regulated to a liberalised tariff environment, it effectively transfers the burden of responsibility on making choices from the agency regulating prices to the consumers in making their own choices for their own best benefit. This requires on the part of the consumer, time and effort in understanding the choices and making the best decision to optimise their needs. While Bank Negara will continue to monitor the pricing regime, insurance companies need to make the options available to consumers easy to understand as well transparent so that consumers can better understand the rationale for the pricing of the packages offered, to enable consumers to make effective choices. Most importantly, FOMCA hopes that more widespread awareness and education be undertaken to empower consumers to make those choices.

Dato’ Paul Selva Raj

 

Secretary General, FOMCA