Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Fomca, CAP hail move to abolish minimum MyKad penalty
July 12, 2006
PETALING JAYA: Abolishing the minimum fine of RM3,000 for those not carrying their MyKad is a step in the right direction, consumer associations said.
“What about construction companies that fail to complete their projects and waste public money? These can go up to hundreds of millions of ringgit. These are serious issues, not whether people carry their MyKad or not.”
Monday, July 10, 2006
Kerajaan dicadang wujudkan Akta Logo Halal
Julai 10, 2006
KUALA LUMPUR 10 Julai - Kerajaan dicadang mewujudkan Akta Logo Halal bagi membolehkan pihak berkuasa menangani masalah ‘lambakan’ logo itu, kata Presiden Persatuan Pengguna Islam Malaysia (PPIM), Datuk Dr. Maamor Osman.
Menurutnya, masalah itu timbul berikutan ketiadaan akta khusus bagi membolehkan pihak berwajib mengambil tindakan berhubung perkara itu.
Malah, beliau juga memberitahu ketiadaan kuasa perundangan seperti itu turut digunakan oleh pihak-pihak tertentu yang cuba mengambil kesempatan mengaut keuntungan dengan mengeksploitasi status halal.
‘‘Masalah ini tidak boleh dipandang ringan kerana isu halal dan haram boleh memberi kesan besar kepada akidah umat Islam.
‘‘Ini bukan perkara baru, sebelum ini kita telah banyak kali mengemukakan masalah itu kepada mereka (kerajaan), namun tiada tindakan yang benar-benar wajar diambil.
‘‘Sekiranya mereka bersungguh-sungguh mengawal pengeluaran dan pengesahan logo halal ini, sepatutnya mereka boleh mewujudkan Akta Logo Halal bagi memberi kuasa bertindak kepada pihak lain yang mengeluarkan logo halal tanpa pengesahan pihak berwajib,” katanya ketika dihubungi di sini hari ini.
Maamor berkata demikian ketika diminta mengulas laporan akhbar semalam berhubung kenyataan Ketua Pengarah Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (Jakim), Datuk Mustapa Abdul Rahman bahawa pihaknya tiada kuasa mengenakan tindakan kepada pihak yang mengeluarkan logo halal ekoran tiada peruntukan undang-undang yang membenarkan untuk berbuat demikian.
Keadaan itu bagaimanapun menimbulkan persoalan terhadap peranan kerajaan khususnya Jakim dan pejabat agama negeri yang dilihat seolah-olah tidak ada kuasa dan tidak serius dalam penguatkuasaan penyalahgunaan logo halal.
Pengguna
Sementara itu, Setiausaha Agung Gabungan Persatuan-Persatuan Pengguna Malaysia (FOMCA), Muhammad Sha‘ani Abdullah mencadangkan supaya Jakim dan pejabat-pejabat agama menyelaraskan pengeluaran dan standard logo halal bagi memudahkan pengguna.
Katanya, banyak pengguna keliru dengan logo halal yang digunakan oleh kebanyakan produk di pasaran hingga wujud kebimbangan untuk menggunakan produk terbabit.
‘‘Oleh itu, Jakim dan pejabat agama negeri perlu mewujudkan hanya satu logo halal yang boleh diguna pakai bagi memberi keyakinan kepada pengguna,” katanya.
Dalam pada itu, Setiausaha Persatuan Pengguna Pahang (PAC), Mohd. Saiful Abdullah menyarankan agar pengguna meneliti logo halal yang disahkan oleh Jakim ataupun pejabat agama negeri sebelum membeli produk tertentu bagi mengelakkan sebarang masalah.
‘‘Kita tidak pasti bahawa produk yang mempunyai logo halal yang berlainan sama ada ia halal atau sebaliknya.
‘‘Bagaimanapun, pengguna perlu mendapatkan barangan yang mempunyai pengesahan dari pihak yang sewajarnya sebagai jaminan bahawa produk itu benar-benar halal,” ujarnya.
Saturday, July 08, 2006
MyKad requirement 'outdated, too rigid'
PETALING JAYA: Malaysians in general agree that people should be punished for not having their MyKad with them, but feel that the maximum fine of RM20,000 or three years’ jail is too harsh.
MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head Datuk Michael Chong also suggested that those who forget to carry their MyKad be allowed to ask others to bring it to them.
Fomca secretary-general Mohd Sha’ani Abdullah feels that the requirement to have your MyKad with you at all times is outdated and too rigid.
He said the situation today was no longer like during the Emergency era, when people were required to carry identity cards because the authorities had to weed out communists.
Lawyer Jesvin Jessy, 29, said the fines were too high. “Even people who speed and kill others are not given such a heavy fine,” she said when interviewed by The Star.
Her friend D. Dhena, 36, a business development executive, said a points system should be implemented whereby a person would be penalised after he or she repeated the offence.
Marketing executive Corinne Chieng, 25, said a penalty was good since it was part of the laws of the country.
“But the Government should not impose such a heavy fine if a person loses the card,” she said, adding that children, teenagers and the elderly should be given lighter penalties.
A manager who only wanted to be known as Raja said the penalty was ridiculous and unfair, especially when people forget to bring the card.
“People should be allowed to carry photocopies of their MyKad. A driving licence should also be enough to verify your identity,” he said.
Technical support engineer Noor Rasyada, 23, said she felt it was not safe to have her MyKad with her everywhere. “But the law needs to be obeyed,” she added.
A clerk said the fine for not having a MyKad should be between RM100 and RM200.
“Certainly, there should not be a jail sentence,” he added.
Ipoh Timur MCA deputy chairman Thong Fah Chong suggested that instead of fines and jail sentences, citizens should be given the chance to produce their MyKad at a later date.
“Perhaps, the authorities could give them a 48-hour notice, while accepting photostat copies of the MyKad for the time being,” he said, adding that some elderly citizens feared losing their cards, so they leave them at home.
Thong urged the authorities to channel their energy elsewhere instead of on petty problems such as this.
“Do something about the illegal immigrants in the country. Stop threatening innocent citizens and frightening tourists. This is not a ‘police state’,” he said.
Meanwhile, Michael Chong said the authorities should give time for family members of those caught without their MyKad to produce their cards.
He said those caught without the card should be taken to the nearest police station to wait for their family members to show the card.
“The authorities are going too far if they fine or take those who leave their MyKad at home to court. They should not waste the court’s time,” he said.
He said the National Registration Department should consider certifying photocopies of MyKad for students.
“We should realise that some students are very careless. Their parents will have to go through the hassle of reapplying for the MyKad for them,” he said.
However, he said, he had not received any complaint from people being fined or jailed for not carrying their MyKad.
Mohd Sha’ani said that even the lowest fine of RM3,000 was too much, adding that people should be allowed to carry other documents to prove their identity, such as their driving licence.
“Malaysia is now a safe country. We shouldn’t be so rigid like during the Emergency. You can educate people to carry their MyKad at all times, but it depends on the situation. If a person goes jogging in the park, need he have his MyKad with him?
“Those caught without MyKad during operations should be allowed to retrieve them from home,” he said.
