Cooking oil up RM10, trade group fears more increases
May 9, 2022 8:30 PM
PETALING JAYA: The price of some brands of cooking oil has gone up by as much as RM10 for a 5kg bottle, says a retailers’ association.
Further increases might be in store, according to the head of the Federation of Sundry Goods Merchants Associations of Malaysia.
Its president, Hong Chee Meng, said that a 5kg bottle of “Red Eagle” and “Knife” brand blended cooking oil currently retails at RM45, compared to the price before the Covid-19 pandemic of between RM30 and RM35, China Press reported.
However, an FMT check on online prices showed “Red Eagle” being sold for between RM38 and RM40.
Hong was quoted as saying that the price of “Buruh”, “Seri Murni” and “Saji” brands, which are produced with 100% palm oil, remain below RM30, because of government subsidies.
Among the causes of the increase were the new minimum wage policy, the depreciation of the ringgit, the Russia-Ukraine war, the lack of foreign workers in palm oil estates, and the increase of sea freight costs, he said.
Hong said it was impossible to predict if the price would continue to surge, but hinted at such a possibility.
“Even if the country allows for foreigners to work in oil palm estates, there are still three other factors that could affect the price of the commodity,” he was quoted as saying.
The recent implementation of the new minimum wage could see retailers up their prices to reap a 10% profit, he said.
Read more: Cooking oil up RM10, trade group fears more increases
Syor hapus AP kawal harga barang
Februari 7, 2022 @ 1:01pm
KUALA LUMPUR: Pakar ekonomi berpandangan penghapusan permit import (AP) adalah antara langkah boleh diambil kerajaan untuk mengawal harga barang.
Ketua Unit Penyelidikan Risiko Ekonomi dan Politik, Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), Prof Madya Dr Irwan Shah Zainal Abidin, berkata dengan penghapusan AP, ia sekali gus dapat merancakkan persaingan dalam pasaran.
Bagaimanapun, kata ia bukan penyelesaian mutlak untuk menangani isu harga barang sebaliknya kerajaan perlu memastikan tidak berlaku sebarang unsur sabotaj ekonomi.
Justeru, beliau menyarankan Suruhanjaya Persaingan Malaysia (MyCC) menjalankan siasatan dan Akta Persaingan 2010 dipinda supaya penguatkuasaannya lebih holistik selain inklusif pada masa hadapan.
"Pada ketika ini, pelbagai strategi boleh dilakukan untuk mengawal harga barang. Penghapusan AP adalah salah satu daripada caranya kerana ia akan meningkatkan persaingan dalam pasaran dan menghapuskan atau mengurangkan aktiviti monopoli.
'Namun begitu, isu ini tidak akan selesai jika masalah kekurangan bekalan dalam pasaran tidak dapat diatasi akibat penghapusan AP ini.
"Isunya di sini lebih berbentuk struktural, dan kerajaan pada ketika ini perlu memastikan bekalan yang mencukupi dalam pasaran serta tidak ada unsur-unsur sabotaj ekonomi ataupun ada pihak-pihak tertentu yang cuba untuk mengambil kesempatan dalam kesempitan," katanya kepada BH hari ini.
Beliau mengulas syor Gabungan Persatuan-Persatuan Pengguna Malaysia (FOMCA) terhadap kerajaan supaya menghapuskan AP terutama bagi barang makanan dalam usaha mengawal kenaikan harga barang.
Presiden FOMCA, Datuk Dr N Marimuthu, berkata penghapusan AP dapat mengelak monopoli kerana hanya peniaga atau pengusaha mempunyai AP boleh membawa masuk sesuatu barangan dan mengawal harganya.
Langkah itu jelasnya akan memberi peluang kepada rama peniaga menjual lebih banyak barangan dan mengelak monopoli, sekali gus membendung isu kenaikan harga.
Mengemuka pelan penyelesaian jangka panjang, Irwan Shah menyarankan kerajaan menumpukan usaha mengatasi isu sekuriti makanan dengan memacu sektor agromakanan dan pertanian moden.
Hanya 11 peratus pemilik kereta ambil perlindungan bencana
Februari 7, 2022 @ 3:31pm
KUALA LUMPUR: Allianz General Insurance Company (Malaysia) Bhd mendedahkan hanya 11 peratus atau kira-kira 123,000 daripada 1.11 juta pelanggan memilih bencana khas sebagai sebahagian daripada perlindungan komprehensif kereta persendirian pada 2021.
Ketua Pegawai Eksekutifnya, Sean Wang, berkata susulan daripada bencana banjir tahun lalu, syarikat itu menyaksikan kadar pengambilan meningkat kepada 22 peratus atau kira-kira 15,000 daripada 68,000 pelanggan untuk polisi baharu dan pembaharuan antara 1 hingga 17 Januari 2022.
Katanya, pemilik kereta menyedari bahawa banjir yang berlaku baru-baru ini mendedahkan kelemahan terhadap tindak balas bencana dan perancangan bandar, sekali gus menimbulkan persoalan mengenai perlindungan insurans dan sama ada rakyat negara ini kurang dilindungi.
"Di Malaysia, kita mempunyai pilihan mengenai produk insurans dan bagaimana membeli insurans. Jadi, ia bukan persoalan mengenai kurang dilindungi.
"Bagaimanapun, kami berasa bersalah kerana memilih untuk melepaskan perlindungan banjir (insurans rumah), cermin depan atau perlindungan bahaya khas (perlindungan terhadap tanah runtuh, banjir dan bencana alam lain) apabila membeli insurans kereta, semuanya bagi mendapatkan polisi insurans yang lebih murah.
"Inilah yang menyebabkan rakyat Malaysia kurang mendapat perlindungan insurans," katanya dalam satu kenyataan.
Wang berkata, kejadian banjir baru-baru ini dengan jelas mengesahkan bahawa insurans begitu diperlukan, terutama apabila perlu melindungi aset.
"Isu terbesar adalah kebergantungan terhadap kerajaan, badan bukan kerajaan (NGO) dan juga korporat Malaysia untuk menyediakan jaringan keselamatan apabila berhadapan dengan musibah yang berleluasa seperti banjir baru-baru ini," katanya
Susulan kejadian banjir akhir tahun lalu, Allianz General menyediakan bantuan tunda kepada 1,590 pelanggan yang terjejas sehingga 16 Januari 2022, dengan hanya 193 kenderaan (178 kereta persendirian dan 15 motosikal) mempunyai perlindungan banjir yang sah sebagai sebahagian daripada polisi insurans mereka.
Expect prices to go up to 10%, FMM warns consumers
PETALING JAYA: Unless the cost of food and non-food items are kept under control, consumers should prepare themselves for prices to go up to 10%, said Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers president Soh Thian Lai.
Based on a FMM survey in December on the impact of price increases on items like bread, eggs, diapers and detergents, Soh said unless drastic action was taken to contain the rise in prices, the bulk of the respondents planned to pass the costs to consumers.
“More than two-thirds of the companies we surveyed are expecting to pass the increase in costs of between 1-10% to consumers,” he said.
The rise in prices is due to the Covid-19 pandemic, he said, which has seen supply chain bottlenecks, higher logistics costs, soaring commodity prices, and a global energy and labour shortage.
“Fortunately, two-thirds of the respondents have taken proactive action to cut costs internally and switch to cheaper inputs where available,” he told FMT.
Multinationals in Malaysia had also begun substituting imports by buying local products, he added.
In January, the statistics department said the rise in transport costs and food prices drove inflation to a high of 3.2% in December – surpassing the average inflation rate of 1.9% for the period 2011 to 2021.
The rise was fuelled by a 7.5% rise in transport costs and a 3.2% increase in the cost of food and non-alcoholic beverages, with the inflation rate also attributed to rate increases in housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels.
“Any increase in prices for manufacturers would have a multiplier impact on the economy,” said Soh.
One-off 100% power bill rebate for flood victims
December 26, 2021 2:59 PM
HULU LANGAT: Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) will give a one-off 100% rebate for December electricity bills to domestic customers affected by floods, said Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
He said a total of 72,000 domestic customers would benefit from the rebate.
“This doesn’t involve factories, it is only for houses. As an extension of the various assistance given so far, there will be a rebate on the December electricity bill.
“I have also asked TNB to help B40 homes affected by the floods when the electricity supply is reconnected,” he told a press conference after visiting areas affected by the floods in Hulu Langat, including in Taman Sri Nanding and Kampung Dusun Tua, where cleanup work was in progress, here today.
He said the energy company had been carrying out free wiring inspections at flood-affected houses in Selangor, Pahang and Kuala Lumpur since last Friday.
Apart from that, Ismail said Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (Perodua) would provide free towing service for Perodua vehicles based on the vehicles’ insurance coverage.
He said Perodua had agreed to forego labour charges to repair and service vehicles sent to its service centres and would offer a 50% discount on spare parts.
“I understand that finance minister Tengku Zafrul Tengku Aziz will negotiate again with other car companies such as Proton.
“I hope other companies can emulate what Perodua is doing,” he said.
Ismail said the government would increase the initial allocation of RM100 million to repair flood-damaged houses and infrastructure.
Gunakan kuasa pengguna
Disiarkan pada: November 30, 2021 @ 8:13am
Kajang: Pengguna dinasihat menggunakan kuasa mereka termasuk membuat perbandingan harga serta membuat pilihan premis yang meletakkan tanda harga jelas dengan menawarkan harga dan perkhidmatan berpatutan.
Pengarah Penguatkuasa Kementerian Perdagangan Dalam Negeri dan Hal Ehwal Pengguna (KPDNHEP), Azman Adam berkata, kuasa pengguna adalah langkah pencegahan terbaik sebelum pengguna terkeliru atau dimanipulasi oleh peniaga yang tidak bertanggungjawab.
Menurutnya, pihaknya mengambil maklum berhubung isu kenaikan harga barang yang dilaporkan di media arus perdana dan media sosial.
"KPDNHEP sentiasa melakukan penguatkuasaan serta pemeriksaan untuk menangani isu kenaikan harga barang yang dilaporkan melalui pelbagai pendekatan berterusan dan agresif antaranya melalui pelaksanaan
Ops Menu di seluruh Negara.
"Pelaksanaan Ops Menu ini adalah khusus bertujuan bagi memantau dan menangani isu harga makanan bermasak mulai 6 November 2021 yang lalu," katanya pada sidang media selepas Ops Menu di beberapa premis restoran ikan bakar di Bangi, di sini, malam tadi.
Azman berkata, dalam Ops ini setakat petang semalam, sebanyak 3,770 pemeriksaan dilakukan dan daripada jumlah itu, sebanyak 27 tindakan kes diambil ke atas peniaga yang melakukan kesalahan.
"Kementerian juga akan terus melaksanakan sesi libat urus bersama Kementerian Pertanian dan Industri Makanan (Mafi) serta agensi di bawahnya serta pemain industri berkaitan untuk mencari kaedah terbaik bagi menyekat kenaikan harga secara mendadak di pasaran.
Vehicle insurance premiums likely to remain unchanged
November 11, 2021 7:21 PM
GEORGE TOWN: Insurance premiums for vehicles are likely to stay at the same level in the coming year despite a lower number of accidents and thefts during the pandemic and lockdown periods.
Lee Yen Ming, who runs a Bank Negara-approved insurance comparison site, said this was because the number of claims had remained high before the pandemic.
He said before the pandemic, the claim ratios “had exceeded 100%” before the lockdowns began.
Despite fewer claims made during the lockdown periods, premiums were likely to stay the same, as insurers try to recoup their losses, Lee said.
“Insurers will have to account for some of the shortfalls faced before the pandemic,” the PolicyStreet.com CEO said during a webinar today.
Lee anticipated that future calculations of insurance premium payments would go high-tech, based on telematics.
Telematics involves using a tracker fitted into a car to determine how gently or roughly a vehicle is driven. It also helps in the recovery of a vehicle in case of theft, as it is built-in with global-positioning system (GPS) tracking.
Lee said insurers would then reward customers who drove well and economically under this telematics system, offering discounts on their annual premiums.
He said the telematics move will see the phasing out of traditional, fixed-price premiums currently in use, giving way to personalised premiums based on the driver’s risk profile.
Read more: Vehicle insurance premiums likely to remain unchanged
KPDNHEP optimises digital platforms following shift in consumer trends
November 23, 2021 @ 3:37pm
KUALA LUMPUR: The Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry has turned to digital platforms in its enforcement and advocacy efforts, following a shift in consumer trends, the Dewan Rakyat heard today.
Its Deputy Minister Datuk Rosol Wahid said consumer behaviour has seen a significant change where more online purchases made and selected in favour of physical shopping following restrictions in movements due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said the ministry aimed at educating consumers in making wise decisions on purchases and exercise their rights by providing easy access to lodge complaints like unfair pricing through Ez ADU and the e-aduan portal, as well as Price Catcher app.
He said the Ez ADU app, which allows the public to lodge complaints was being upgraded in keeping up with consumer needs and technology, citing the recent tyre price hike.
"Some consumers complained of the difference in prices of tyres pre-MCO (Movement Control Order) and post-MCO (through the app).
"Our officers have taken action and the price of tyres has seen a reduction the week after the report was lodged," he said in reply to a supplementary question from Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin (PH-Hang Tuah Jaya).
Meanwhile the Price Catcher app helps consumers in making price comparisons according to the types of items based on their locations.
"The Price Catcher app, which has so far been downloaded by 32,000 users, helps consumers to plan their purchase and be more alert on price changes.
"Meanwhile, the MySale Tracker app contains information on the latest sales at business premises nearby," he said in reply to a question from Datuk Robert Lawson Chuat (GPS-PBB-Betong).
Read more: KPDNHEP optimises digital platforms following shift in consumer trends
CADANGAN MENURUNKAN HARGA SET UJI RTK COVID-19 KENA PADA MASANYA.
26/09/2021
KOTA KINABALU: Pertubuhan Hal Ehwal dan Pelindung Pengguna Sabah (CAPS) menyambut baik cadangan kerajaan menurunkan harga siling untuk Kit Ujian Kendiri (RTK) Antigen COVID-19 yang menggunakan sampel air liur.
Penurunan harga set RTK ini amat dialu-alukan kerana inilah masa yang sesuai untuk kerajaan memperlihat dan membuktikan keprihatinannya kepada rakyat yang selama ini tertekan dengan kegawatan kewangan untuk kelansungan hidup mereka.
Presidennya, James Baga (gambar), berkata dengan penurunan harga siling alat set kit tersebut sudah pasti membawa berita baik kepada masyarakat pengguna kerana secara tidak langsung ianya dapat meringankan beban kerana alat set tersebut dapat diperolehi dengan harga mampu milik.
Selain itu katanya, CAPS mencadangkan kepada kerajaan agar membenarkan penjualan set uji kendiri RTK ini dijual secara terbuka dan bukannya terhad kepada kedai-kedai ubat dan farmasi.
“Selain memudahkan orang awam untuk mendapatkannya, ianya juga secara tidak lansung dapat menurun dan menstabilkan harga kerana terdapat persaingan harga antara pembekal, pemborong atau peruncit dalam pasaran.
“Disamping itu, Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia KKM) juga perlu menyenaraikan jenama set uji kendiri RTK yang diluluskan agar pengguna mendapat maklumat tepat dan sahih untuk mengelakkan mereka terbeli ujian kit yang tiruan dan tidak berkualiti,” katanya dalam kenyataan media hari ini.
Read more: CADANGAN MENURUNKAN HARGA SET UJI RTK COVID-19 KENA PADA MASANYA.
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