Published: Wednesday December 17, 2008 MYT 8:39:00 PM

More complaints than ever before

By FLORENCE A. SAMY

KUALA LUMPUR: The National Consumers Complaints Centre (NCCC) has received 24,873 complaints last year, a 33% increase compared with 2006.

The top five complaints were against housing developers, direct sales, private higher education, management corporations and telecommunications firms, according to the NCCC annual report 2007 which was launched on Wednesday by Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan.

Fomca secretary-general and NCC chief executive Muhammad Sha’ani Abdullah said consumers’ complaints against housing developers included poor workmanship, late delivery, abandoned housing projects, booking fees and misleading advertisements.

“The number of complaints against housing developers increased from 1,578 in 2006 to 2,076 last year, which is a 29.6% increase. Poor workmanship is a big problem for housebuyers,” he said at the launching of the NCCC report.

Other complaints include cheap sales, public transport, maid agencies and satellite television.

The report, which suggested recommendations, listed 23 complaint categories, all of which had at least 300 complaints.

Fomca president Datuk N. Marimuthu said their aim was not to attack anyone but to work together with the industry to foster better industrial harmony.

Sidek in his speech said the increase in the number of complaints with NCCC showed that the number of consumers had increased and that they were more aware of their rights.

“Consumers equipped with knowledge and awareness, can better protect themselves against irresponsible traders,” he said.

He said each complaint should be treated as “a gift and not as a burden.”

“Each complaint is an opportunity to improve. Government departments and all of us must be oblivious to who complaints but attend to their complaints immediately,” he said.

NCCC, which was corporatised as a non-profit organisation on Sept 17, aims to provide consumers an avenue to voice their grouses on goods or traders.