Tuesday, November 10, 2009

 

CI : November 2009 FOMCA


November 2009

FOMCA: November 2009 Member in the spotlight

The NCCC

The National Consumer Complaints Centre (NCCC) is a dedicated complaints handling service for consumers. It is an initiative by FOMCA and ERA Consumer Malaysia. Since September 2008, NCCC has been registered as an independent foundation under the Companies Commission of Malaysia, which has the same objectives.

Getting started

FOMCA and affiliated Consumer Associations in Malaysia started the NCCC in response to the difficulty consumers faced in resolving issues or complaints with private and government service providers.




Before the NCCC

Before the NCCC, the consumer associations could act as a united voice to solve problems of members and the public. However, part-time volunteers provided all these activities.
As time went by, some of the consumer associations recruited full-time personnel to handle administrative work and to deal with complaints. As the public increasingly used the consumer associations to resolve their complaints, those managing the complaints found they needed qualified and experienced personnel for rapid handling of the increasing number of complaints.
This situation prompted FOMCA through the Selangor Consumer Association (SCA) and ERA Consumer Malaysia to launch NCCC as an operational unit under FOMCA in 2004.


Funding

Since 2005, the SCA has received funds from a project grant from the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (MDTCA) to partly fund the NCCC.
The remaining funds are raised from individuals and foundations through fund-raising activities.


Publicising the NCCC to consumers

Initially NCCC publicity was through the 'Buletin Pengguna', a monthly consumer newsletter of the MDTCA, published and distributed by FOMCA.

Joost Martens meets with FOMCA. FOMCA: November 2009 Member in the spotlightBusiness cards
The NCCC was also promoted through business cards, given out at events by FOMCA and its affiliates.
Newspaper columns
In 2006, a regular column in the The Malay Mail both canvassed complaints and published success stories of cases that were solved by the NCCC. This showed consumers that the NCCC could be an effective tool.
Press releases and the media
Since 2007, NCCC continues to use newspapers, television and radio to reach out to consumers by providing an analysis of complaints and publicising current prominent consumer complaints. These stories get picked up and receive wide and extensive coverage by the local media. They are spread through regular press conferences and press releases.


Public discussion

In 2008, a weekly 1-hour radio talk show on Radio 24 in Malaysia allowed members from NCCC, FOMCA and ERA Consumer Malaysia to discuss specific consumer issues. Both the program and NCCC were promoted throughout the week with jingles.


FOMCA: November 2009 Member in the spotlightCompanies learn their responsibilities

Since 2004, an increasing number of companies are aware of the NCCC. Every interaction with companies and corporations is an education process - but it is the companies that are educated. They are becoming aware of the rights of consumers and their responsibilities as a company in complying with the relevant laws in place.


Consumers learn their rights

The NCCC is important in assisting ordinary consumers who are still unaware and less vocal in demanding their rights. Consumers dealing with the NCCC are made aware of their rights and the avenue available to them to resolve their complaints.

Many use NCCC to pursue their complaints with suppliers or service providers for them; but there are also consumers who request advice and guidance to pursue their cases on their own, and do so with success.


The most common complaints

The top three complaints received by the NCCC relate to:


Consumers post their complaints in the FOMCA mailbox. FOMCA: November 2009 Member in the spotlightA real case

Consumer M paid a deposit on a super-bike, hoping to be approved for a bank loan. But the loan was rejected, so Consumer M returned to the supplier for the deposit.
However, the supplier refused to repay the deposit and Consumer M gave up on getting his deposit back.
One year later, Consumer M heard about the NCCC and contacted them for help. The NCCC sent a letter to the supplier on Consumer M's behalf. Still the supplier refused, pointing out that the deposit receipt clearly stated that 'All deposits are not refundable', and that Consumer M was fully aware of this.
The NCCC wrote back promptly, quoting a paragraph in the Malaysian Consumer Protection Act 1999 that provides the right to consumers for a full refund of any deposit in the event of a cancellation of a contract.
The supplier immediately replied to Consumer M with a cheque for the full deposit.
The case shows that traders are often not fully aware of their legal responsibilities to consumers.


Dealing with businesses

Most service providers are initially slow or do not reply to the NCCC's letters and emails. The NCCC has to depend on carbon copies it sends to the heads of regulatory agencies to force replies or resolutions.


Even government agencies need pushing

In one such case, after failing to get any reply from a government regulatory agency, the NCCC carbon copied a follow-up email to the Chief Secretary to the Government. The reply was swift. The Chief Secretary 'replied to all' at 9pm the same evening with the simple message '???'. The very next day at 10am, the NCCC received the response they had been wanting from the regulatory agency.


Causing trouble pays off

As the NCCC continues to demand attention in this way, it has found that this encourages many organisations to provide a dedicated contact point to handle complaints from the NCCC.


Advice

NCCC Muhammad Sha'ani b. AbdullahMuhammad Sha'ani b. Abdullah, Chief Executive of the NCCC, offers advice to other organisations wishing to start a similar complaints centre.

What are the challenges?
'Lack of resources is still a challenge, to provide a prompt and effective service to consumers in need.'


Why is setting up a complaints centre worthwhile?
'An increasing number of consumers are now willing to come forward to demand resolution to their complaints.'
'Meanwhile, an increasing number of traders are becoming aware of their responsibility to their customers with regard to good service provision as well as engaging with customers who complain.'
'There has also been positive support from the government in promoting the role of the NCCC among all the government agencies to educate front-line government personnel to be proactive in consumer complaints handling.'

Have you got any advice for other organisations who want to set up a similar complaints line?
'Complaints line services must empower consumers themselves and social advocacy groups to deal with ordinary complaints directly with service providers. This helps complaints services being overwhelmed with complaints.'


Read more...


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# posted by share n care @ 2:05 PM

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

 

NGOs: Govt need to be more open on procurement policies


Tuesday October 27, 2009
By IZWAN IDRIS and SHARIDAN M. ALI

PETALING JAYA: The Government needs to be more “open” on issues related to its procurement policy, urged two non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

“As it is now, there is more suspicion than trust in the system,” Federation of Malaysian Consumer Associations (Fomca) secretary-general Muhammad Shaani Abdullah said in a response to Starprobe’s articles published yesterday.

This, he said, was due to the lack of transparency on how most of the public contracts were awarded, as well as lack of publicly available information about the project status.

“The Government needs to do more in sharing information with the public,” Shaani said, adding that this could be achieved through the media and publishing such information on government websites.

The latest Auditor-General’s report and Starprobe findings published yesterday revealed that the Government could be losing billions of ringgit every year through excessive payments made for projects and procurements from private contractors.

Transparency International Malaysia (TI Malaysia) secretary-general Dr Loi Kheng Min said putting a proper procurement system would help curb corrupt practices, which had been long-associated with government contracts.

He said that the effectiveness of existing systems, like e-Perolehan and e-Tender should be enhanced, while perennial issues like non-compliance to procedures should be dealt with.

TI Malaysia, a globally-linked anti-graft independent body, has also come up with its own procurement guide called Integrity Pact.

Recent adopters of this Integrity Pact include Pos Malaysia Bhd.

Loi said the Integrity Pact programme was designed to prevent corruption, bribes and any other unethical practices.

Meanwhile, a government officer met by the Starprobe team at National Asset and Facility Management Convention 2009 yesterday said it was definitely a waste to lose billions of ringgit every year through excessive payments for contracts and procurements.

“I think the current Government will definitely do something to curb this problem.

“And the real cost of contract for any projects should be audited to avoid any ‘hidden’ charges with vested interests.

“Nobody in the right mind would let this happen and if unnecessary cost or expenditure is revealed, such as the acquisition of the over RM40,000 laptop, somebody should be held responsible,” said the officer, who declined to be named.

A businessman at the convention yesterday also lauded the effort to probe such issues as it involved taxpayers’ money.

“Although some contracts are through open tender, a background check on the company and unnecessary costs of the project is very important to avoid this kind of wastage.

“Maybe a third independent party should be roped in to do the audit,” he said.

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# posted by share n care @ 6:34 PM 1 comments

Thursday, December 18, 2008

 

Sin Chew: 投訴中心年度報告‧屋業投訴仍居榜首


消費人投訴中心年度報告‧屋業投訴仍居榜首

2008-12-18 09:44

（吉隆坡）2007年全國消費人投訴中心（NCCC）報告指出，屋業發展商仍是最多消費者投訴的領域。

此中心去年共接獲2076宗有關屋業發展商的投訴，比2006年的1578宗增長29.6%，而投訴的內容包括房子內部手工品質低劣、遲交屋、發展計劃廢置及訂金問題。

此中心首席執行員莫哈末沙尼週三（12月17日）出席2007年全國消費人投訴中心報告推介禮後，發表談話。

莫哈末沙尼表示，政府或應實行先建後售的概念，購屋者只需先繳付10%屋價，因為現有的房屋發展制度導致有心人濫權，造成遲交屋、發展計劃廢置等問題。

直銷領域投訴第二多

接獲第二多投訴的是直銷領域，包括刮刮樂活動，因此，此中心建議當局把刮刮樂列為非法活動，並禁止以直銷方式售賣超過500令吉價值的商品。

私立高等教育中心及大專學院是第3多消費者投訴的領域；許多學生投訴院方在他們不知情的情況下向高等教育基金借貸，導致學生被高教基金追討欠款的問題。

全國消費人投訴中心將被投訴的商品及服務依性質分為23個領域，其他被消費者投訴的領域包括管理公司、電訊業、大減價、公共交通、金融機構、霸級市場、女傭中心、健身中心、食品等。

培養“視投訴為禮物”文化

政府首席秘書丹斯里莫哈末西迪表示，政府部門及相關機構應該培養“視投訴為禮物”的文化，因為所有的投訴都是協助當局改善與進步的機會。

他指出，美國有一些酒店會給做出投訴的顧客獎賞，因為他們認為，酒店單靠本身的員工是無法瞭解及察覺每一間客房是否有問題，但若顧客發現問題並投訴告知，等於是幫忙酒店進行監督工作。

“但在大馬，很多人被投訴就會生氣，這是不對的；我們確實沒有足夠的人手，有公眾幫我們指出問題，這就是一份禮物。”

平均每天接70宗投訴

大馬消費人聯合會主席拿督馬里慕都表示，2007年全國消費人投訴中心共接獲2萬4873宗投訴，即平均每天接獲70宗投訴，比2006年總數1萬8345宗投訴多，或增長36%。

他表示，全國消費人投訴中心把所有投訴做成報告發表，目的不是要指責任何人，而是希望借此讓各領域改善及提昇商品及服務素質。

星洲日報‧2008.12.18

  • 莫哈末西迪（中）為2007年全國消費人投訴中心報告主持推介禮。左：莫哈末沙尼，右：馬里慕都。（圖：星洲日報）

  • 2006及2007年消費人投訴數據資料

  • 最多消費者投訴領域依序

  • 投訴分類

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# posted by share n care @ 6:45 AM 0 comments

Sunday, April 08, 2007

 

Naik harga rokok RM10 -- FOMCA, Persatuan Pengguna Islam desak kerajaan kenakan cukai lebih tinggi

Mingguan Malaysia - 8hb April 2007
Muka Hadapan

Oleh: NORILA DAUD

KUALA LUMPUR 7 April – Dua buah persatuan pengguna hari ini mendesak kerajaan mengenakan cukai jualan yang lebih tinggi supaya sekotak rokok 20 batang yang dijual di negara ini berharga sekurang-kurangnya RM10.

Mereka percaya tindakan menaikkan cukai jualan tersebut mampu menghalang syarikat-syarikat rokok multinasional daripada menurunkan harga rokok sesuka hati.

Setiausaha Agung Gabungan Persatuan-Persatuan Pengguna Malaysia (FOMCA), Muhammad Sha’ani Abdullah berkata, harga rokok yang tinggi berupaya mengurangkan tabiat merokok di kalangan rakyat Malaysia.

Beliau berkata, cukai jualan rokok yang rendah menyebabkan syarikat-syarikat rokok masih mampu menampung kenaikan cukai tersebut.

‘‘Untuk menambah jualan, mereka sanggup pula menurunkan harga rokok.

“Kami percaya syarikat-syarikat itu boleh dihalang daripada berbuat demikian jika kerajaan menaikkan cukai jualan rokok setinggi mungkin supaya sekotak rokok berisi 20 batang dijual pada harga RM10,’’ katanya kepada Mingguan Malaysia.

Muhammad Sha’ani berkata demikian ketika diminta mengulas kenyataan Menteri Kesihatan, Datuk Seri Dr. Chua Soi Lek yang memberi amaran kepada syarikat-syarikat rokok multinasional supaya menghentikan perang harga rokok sesama mereka dalam tempoh dua minggu.

Soi Lek menegaskan, kerajaan akan campur tangan mengawal harga rokok jika perang harga rokok itu tidak dihentikan. Beliau memberi contoh, ada rokok kini dijual serendah RM3 untuk kotak 20 batang.

Semalam, Soi Lek menemui wakil-wakil syarikat rokok multinasional JT International (JTI), British American Tobacco (BAT) serta Philip Morris di Melaka bagi menyatakan amaran kerajaan itu.

Menurut Muhammad Sha’ani, sekiranya syarikat-syarikat rokok mampu mengurangkan harga rokok, ia bermakna kenaikan cukai pada kadar 50 sen sehingga RM1 sekotak masih boleh ditampung oleh syarikat-syarikat berkenaan.

Harga rokok, kata beliau, sepatutnya dinaikkan pada kadar yang benar-benar memberi kesan kepada perokok.

“Hanya jika perokok benar-benar terbeban baru mereka terpaksa meninggalkan terus tabiat merokok dan ini kelak akan mengurangkan jumlah orang yang menghisap rokok,” kata Muhammad Sha’ani.

FOMCA berpendapat tindakan syarikat-syarikat rokok menurunkan harga rokok akan menghalang usaha kerajaan khususnya Kementerian Kesihatan untuk mengurangkan jumlah perokok di negara ini dan seterusnya membanteras kes-kes penyakit berkaitan rokok di kalangan rakyat.

Pengarah Projek Persatuan Pengguna Islam Malaysia (PPIM), Noor Nirwandy Mat Noordin pula menyifatkan tindakan syarikat-syarikat rokok multinasional menurunkan harga rokok sebagai keterlaluan dan mencabar kerajaan.

‘‘Mereka kena patuh kepada polisi kerajaan untuk mengurangkan jumlah perokok dan bukan menurunkan harga rokok bagi menambah jualan,’’ katanya.

Noor Nirwandy menyatakan sokongan terhadap arahan Kementerian Kesihatan agar syarikat-syarikat rokok multinasional menghentikan perang harga rokok dalam tempoh dua minggu.

Katanya, kerajaan juga harus menggariskan peraturan yang lebih jelas kepada syarikat pengeluar rokok agar perkara yang sama tidak berulang lagi pada masa akan datang.

Sementara itu, firma pengimport rokok Bracco Resources Sdn. Bhd. berpendapat, syarikat-syarikat rokok tiada asas kukuh untuk menurunkan harga rokok melainkan untuk memancing pelanggan membeli rokok keluaran mereka.

Pengurus Besar syarikat itu, Buhari Mohamed berkata: ‘‘Tiada asas untuk harga rokok diturunkan kerana kadar cukai sudah ditetapkan melainkan pengeluar membeli harga tembakau pada kadar yang murah atau memperolehnya secara percuma.’’

Pengguna hari ini, kata Buhari, amat berhati-hati dalam berbelanja dan kerana itu sekotak rokok berharga RM7 kurang mendapat sambutan.

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