PELANCARAN MELALUI MEDIA SOSIAL

Link Pelancaran: https://fb.watch/bKtlFNp_8w/
Press Kit for members of Media - https://cutt.ly/3A2OHEX

HARI HAK-HAK PENGGUNA SEDUNIA, 15 MAC 2022
TEMA: KESAKSAMAAN KEWANGAN DIGITAL

Hari Hak Pengguna Sedunia disambut setiap tahun pada 15 Mac untuk meningkatkan kesedaran mengenai hak dan keperluan pengguna. Hari Hak Pengguna Sedunia telah diselaraskan oleh Consumers International dan dilancarkan pada tahun 1983, yang diiktiraf di seluruh dunia. Meraikan hari tersebut merupakan peluang untuk pengguna menuntut perlindungan dan penghormatan hak pengguna. Hari Hak Pengguna Sedunia ini merupakan momen global untuk meningkatkan kesedaran dan memacu perubahan yang bermakna dan berpanjangan mengenai cabaran mendesak yang dihadapi oleh pengguna di seluruh dunia.

Hari Hak Pengguna Sedunia bagi tahun 2022 bertemakan Fair Digital Finance yang bermaksud kesaksamaan dalam kewangan digital.

 

Meningkatkan Peranan Perkhidmatan Kewangan Digital (PKD)

Perkhidmatan kewangan digital (PKD) dan Teknologi Kewangan telah memacu perubahan ketara di seluruh dunia.

• Menjelang tahun 2024, pengguna perbankan digital dijangka melebihi 3.6 bilion.
• Di negara membangun, perkadaran pemilik akaun yang menghantar dan menerima pembayaran secara digital telah meningkat daripada 57% (tahun 2014) kepada 70% (tahun 2017)

 

Risiko PKD

Walaupun terdapat banyak faedah perkhidmatan kewangan digital, pelbagai cabaran pengguna dapat dilihat dengan jelas. PKD telah mencipta risiko baru dan juga memburukkan lagi risiko cara tradisional, antaranya ialah:
• Terma tidak dijelaskan pada jualan;
• Caj atau bayaran yang tersembunyi atau dinaikkan;
• Terma dan syarat kontrak yang tidak adil;
• Cabaran Perlindungan Data – Semakin banyak data pengguna yang dikumpul oleh penyedia PKD, semakin tinggi risiko penyalahgunaan data pengguna; dan
• Penipuan – Semua pengguna terutamanya golongan rentan yang berisiko tinggi dengan kes jenayah yang semakin meningkat seperti penipuan, pernyataan palsu, phishing dan juga mudah terpedaya dengan amalan perniagaan yang mengelirukan. Di seluruh dunia terdapat peningkatan sebanyak 149% dalam penipuan perkhidmatan kewangan digital berbanding tahun 2020

Terdapat bukti kukuh yang menunjukkan risiko ini telah meningkat sejak beberapa tahun kebelakangan ini dan krisis seperti pandemik COVID-19 telah menggalakkan lagi risiko ini, di mana pengguna yang rentan lebih senang terdedah akibat kesempitan ekonomi.

Sifat PKD yang berkembang pesat menunjukkan keperluan untuk mengawal selia perkhidmatan dan produk PKD yang lebih inovatif dan berpusat pada perlindungan dan pemerkasaan pengguna.

 

Kesaksamaan Kewangan Digital
Ahli Pasukan Petugas Hari Hak Pengguna Sedunia, telah mentakrifkan kesaksamaan kewangan digital sebagai produk dan perkhidmatan yang inklusif, selamat dan data peribadi yang dilindungi dan persendirian.

INKLUSIF: Semua pengguna, termasuk golongan yang paling rentan, mesti diberikan kemudahan capaian, infrastruktur dan peralatan digital untuk menyokong dan mengurus kewangan mereka.

SELAMAT : Semua pengguna, termasuk golongan yang paling rentan, mesti dilindungi daripada penipuan, pernyataan palsu dan phishing.

DATA PERIBADI DILINDUNGI DAN PERSENDIRIAN: Semua pengguna, termasuk yang paling rentan, mesti mempunyai data peribadi yang dilindungi dan bersifat persendirian.

 

PENIPUAN DI MALAYSIA

Pengguna telah hilang jutaan ringgit akibat penipuan. Menurut Jabatan Siasatan Jenayah Komersial (JSJK) Bukit Aman, antara tahun 2019 dan 2020 pengguna telah kerugian sejumlah RM 541.8 juta disebabkan oleh penipuan.

Dengan penumpuan isu Keselamatan, sempena Hari Hak Pengguna Sedunia 2022, FOMCA akan menjalankan tiga program pemerkasaan untuk melindungi pengguna daripada penipuan. Antara program tersebut adalah:

1. FOMCA bersama Bank Negara Malaysia akan melancarkan Majalah Ringgit Digital, yang bertujuan untuk mendidik pengguna, terutamanya pengguna muda untuk mengamalkan gaya hidup mampan dan amalan pengurusan kewangan peribadi di kalangan pengguna Malaysia. Versi Digital Ringgit akan dirasmikan oleh Y Bhg Encik Abu Hassan Alshari Bin Yahaya, Assistant Governor, Bank Negara Malaysia. Majalah Ringgit Digital akan diterbitkan melalui edisi portal Digital yang boleh digunakan untuk berkongsi maklumat dengan pihak berkepentingan terutamanya pengguna. Ia akan diterbitkan setiap 2 bulan sekali. Ia juga boleh didapati di laman web FOMCA dan Bank Negara Malaysia.
Link: https://cutt.ly/kA2UtAd

2. Mewujudkan kesedaran melalui media sosial (Tiktok, Facebook dan Instagram) – FOMCA akan bekerjasama dengan influencer dalam menyampaikan mesej kesedaran mengenai penipuan. Mesej kesedaran tersebut akan menumpukan tiga kes penipuan online yang berbeza yang diterima oleh National Consumer Complaints Centre (NCCC).
Link: https://fb.watch/byMZrEe6ok/ 

3. FOMCA juga akan memuat naik program pendidikan pengguna mengenai tips perlindungan diri daripada penipuan perbankan, penipuan pelaburan serta penipuan yang lain. FOMCA akan bekerjasama dengan pihak berkuasa yang berkaitan untuk membangunkan bahan pendidikan tersebut. Program pendidikan yang pertama mengenai Penipuan Kewangan akan dimuat naik pada 15 Mac 2022.
Link: https://fb.watch/bKsJP2tF94/

Bagi memastikan KESAKSAMAAN KEWANGAN DIGITAL untuk masyarakat pengguna, FOMCA akan terus memberikan tumpuan untuk melindungi pengguna daripada sebarang penipuan.

fomca logo

PRESS RELEASE / SIARAN MEDIA

10th MAY 2021

HAS YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY INCREASED THE PRICE OF YOUR MEDICAL PREMIUMS?

FOMCA has been recently receiving many complaints from policy holders of medical insurance of indiscriminate increase in the price of their premiums. We are concerned of how extensive this issue this and how many consumers have been similarly affected by the price increase of their premiums.

We call on all consumers with medical insurance policies to inform us of the price increase of your premiums and for those who have not received any notices of price increase in your medical insurance to contact your agent and ask him/her if there is indeed any increase in the price of your medical premiums.

At the current time, with unending lockdowns and conditional lockdowns, many consumers have been severely affected either through loss of jobs or reduction in incomes. This is certainly not the time to increase insurance premiums.

It is certainly wrong and unacceptable that insurance companies, at this time raise premium prices to make excessive profits. Consumers are already suffering.

If based on your feedback, we find that many consumers have been forced to pay increasing medical premiums, FOMCA will be launching a National Campaign to urge Bank Negara Malaysia to Stop the Increase in Medical Premiums. 

Consumers are facing tremendous economic pressure due to job loss, income loss and economic insecurity. Now is certainly not the time to increase medical insurance premiums.

As a responsible regulator, Bank Negara Malaysia, to protect consumers, should have already pre-emptively directed insurance companies not to increase premiums at his point of time.

Please provide the feedback to FOMCA to enable us to know if you have been affected by the price increase of your medical insurance premium?

Let us as consumers act together to protect our interests.

These are the information we need

  • Insurance Company
  • Current Annual Insurance Premium (RM)
  • New Annual Insurance Premium (RM)

You may email us the details at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or via this online form https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PriceHike  .

Kindly visit our webpage www.fomca.org.my for more information.

fomca logoFebruary 16, 2021 @ 3:23pm
KUALA LUMPUR: The Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) has called for the authorities to categorise retail workers as frontliners.

Its president, Datuk Dr Marimuthu Nadason, cited the Jalan Telawi cluster which was a case of supermarket workers becoming infected with the Covid-19 virus.

"Supermarket and retail outlet workers have extensive exposure daily to their customers. During the entire pandemic, retail stores have been open to cater to the needs of the rakyat for food and other essentials.

"Retail workers are exposed to their customers, including those who may refuse or neglect to follow the standard SOPs such as wearing masks or keeping a 1m distance from others. This exposes the workers to risk," he said in a statement, today.
On the other hand, he said, if for some reason the workers themselves are infected, especially with no symptoms, they can be a source of infecting other workers and customers, exposing consumers to risk.

Marimuthu added that in some ways, retailers have been on the frontline throughout the pandemic serving consumers in which they live and work.

Throughout the pandemic, consumers have had access to food and other essentials, a crucial component in enabling consumers in facing the lockdowns, he said.

"As such Fomca urges the authorities to move retail workers to the front of the line for early inoculation.

fomca logoJanuary 15, 2021 2:13 PM
PETAING JAYA: The Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) has urged the government to offer workers a minimum wage and extend the loan moratorium in the wake of the second movement control order (MCO).

Its president, Marimuthu Nadason, said the government must seriously consider the impact the reimposed MCO will have on workers and businesses.

“They will need financial support. Fomca urges that all affected businesses and workers will be supported at least with a minimum wage to help them through the crisis. Abandoning the workers without any support is just plain cruel.

“Next, Fomca calls on Bank Negara to extend the loan moratorium until at least August. Bank Negara’s silence and indifference to the plight of the rakyat is deafening. There should be an immediate moratorium on all loans to assist those impacted by the MCO,” he said in a statement.

He also suggested that insurance companies be prevented from increasing premiums during the period.

While movement restrictions were necessary, Marimuthu said, it was important to ensure vulnerable communities were not left behind.

“Let us not forget or neglect the low income and the vulnerable who are suffering and will be impacted even worse by these new measures. A responsible government should take concrete and firm measures to support them,” he said.

According to the Malaysian Employers Federation, the economic fallout of the various movement restrictions caused 30,000 businesses to cease operations, resulting in 100,000 job losses, last year.

fomca logo15 Jan 2021 
LETTER | It has indeed been a harsh new reality for consumers living under the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ).

In its obsession to “go digital”, MBPJ is demanding that assessment billing can only be made through digital means, without an alternative, and further warning that the council will not entertain exceptions for late payments. Harsh action that reflects how the local government has not considered the plight of the digitally disadvantaged.

They seem to deny that there is gross digital inequality between the rich and the poor; the rural and the urban and the able and senior citizens. There are indeed many poor and vulnerable groups in MBPJ's jurisdiction who due to poverty, lack of confidence or digital skills are unable to navigate the digital world confidently. They also deserve fairness and justice.

Even private utility companies provide online as well as physical bills and incentivise consumers through discounts to shift towards online billing platforms. The authorities should indeed be more sensitive towards the suffering of the vulnerable rakyat.

No effort has been made to identify and empower vulnerable consumers to help them through the process.

What is extremely disappointing are the so-called counsellors and local politicians who we had hoped would act to protect consumers and enhance their well-being. They have chosen to remain silent instead.

It is indeed laudable for the local government to go digital. It reduces paper wastage as well as brings savings to the agency. But please think of the welfare of all the rakyat, not just the technically savvy.

fomca logo5 Jan 2021 | Tuesday
LETTER | The year 2020 was supposed to be the year we became a “developed” nation. Instead, it was a year of great suffering for many workers and consumers. It was a year of a health crisis as well as an economic crisis.

As a health crisis, many lost their loved ones or were infected by the dreaded disease. Apart from a strictly physical health crisis, it affected others more deeply.

Mental health issues have increased. Suicides have increased. Beyond that, there were reports of increasing domestic violence.

As an economic crisis, many lost their jobs or had their incomes reduced. Many were stuck with debts or commitments they could not fulfil. Basic needs were affected. Children’s education was affected.

None of this is new. But how do we move forward from here into 2021? There was indeed much suffering, but there are also some lessons to be learnt.

One simple message going viral that “2020 was not a year to expect and plan for what we do not have but appreciate what we do have” can be a start. Let me add some other thoughts.

We need to invest in our health. We do not know when this pandemic will end or the next begin. The next pandemic is not an 'if' but a 'when'. We need to take care of our health and strengthen our immune systems. The suggestions are nothing new: healthier food, exercise, and adequate sleep.

Furthermore, we need to invest in supplements and regular check-ups. Will these protect us? If not completely, certainly they can contribute, to some extent, to reducing the risks and mitigating the negative impacts.

ncccSunday, 29 Nov 2020
MORE Malaysians are shopping online these days and especially with Christmas next month, it’s always a good idea to be careful before you buy anything.

A total of 1,520 complaints on online shopping through social media were reported to the National Consumer Complaints Centre (NCCC) as of November this year.

Most claimed to be scammed by sellers, with the top types of items involved being electronic gadgets like handphones and power banks, clothes, watches and women’s accessories.

Another 1,646 complaints were against retailers and sellers of products related to Covid-19 like face masks, hand sanitisers and health supplements, the NCCC tells Sunday Star.

For purchases on social media, NCCC senior manager Baskaran Sithamparam says sellers on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are not bound by refund or return policies like those who are on legitimate online marketplaces.

And this has led many consumers to be taken for a ride.

“Some did not receive the items they ordered at all or received only part of the item, ” he says.

fomca logoDATE OF RELEASE: 12 OCTOBER 2020

PRESS RELEASE: FOMCA ANNUAL CAMPAIGN - FINANCIAL LITERACY MONTH

October marks the “Financial Literacy Month” in Malaysia. The on-going event is organised by Federation of Malaysian Consumers Association (FOMCA). Having been first organised in 2011, the event is currently in its ninth year. The theme chosen is “Financial responsibility begins with me.”

The main emphasis of the event is to highlight the importance of financial literacy and teach households how to establish and maintain healthy financial habits.

Furthermore, it promotes national awareness and engagement campaigns through various community events.

The Covid-19 and Movement Control Order (MCO) has since been extended to December 2020 and with no ending of the MCO in sight. Workers are losing their jobs and are unable to find new jobs, having their incomes reduced and facing a bleak economic recovery in the future, especially for families facing the crisis with limited means and not having a clear picture of their employment future.

Many consumers might even have to dig into their personal savings or make borrowings from informal sources to meet their basic family expenses. They would probably be from the low-income and the unskilled, this would put tremendous pressures to meet their financial obligations.

fomca logoRabu | 9 September 2020
SHAH ALAM - Gabungan Persatuan-Persatuan Pengguna Malaysia (Fomca) tidak bersetuju dengan cadangan kerajaan untuk mengenakan caj perkhidmatan kepada pembeli yang melakukan pembelian dalam talian.

Presidennya, Profesor Datuk Dr N Marimuthu berkata, cadangan berkenaan tidak patut dilaksanakan walaupun cadangan caj yang dikenakan adalah rendah iaitu sebanyak 0.02 peratus.

"Walaupun caj mungkin dikenakan serendah 20 sen bagi pembelian RM1,000 ke bawah tetapi ia juga akhirnya akan membebankan pengguna.

"Mengapa perlu ambil kesempatan untuk kenakan caj pembelian online ini sedangkan banyak lagi alternatif lain yang boleh digunakan kerajaan untuk mencari sumber kewangan," katanya ketika dihubungi Sinar Harian di sini semalam.

Beliau berkata demikian mengulas mengenai kenyataan Timbalan Menteri Komunikasi dan Multimedia, Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin hari ini bahawa kerajaan bercadang untuk mengenakan caj itu bagi pembelian dalam talian termasuk menerusi portal e-dagang, Lazada dan Shopee.

fomcaKUALA LUMPUR, July 10

Pengurusan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Air Selangor) should increase its water reserve margin for at least three days during the upcoming upgrading works to avoid water supply disruption which is expected to affect 420,000 user accounts.

Malaysian Water Forum (MWF) president Saral James Maniam, in calling for proactive action, said Air Selangor should also consider continual improvement planning ideas to be implemented.

“Stop burdening consumers and businesses from time to time. It is time to improve and learn from countries such as Singapore where consumers hardly face any water disruptions due to maintenance or upgrading of facilities by the authorities,” she said in a statement today.

According to Air Selangor, the Selangor River Treatment Plant (LRA) Phase 3 (LRA SSP3) upgrading works from July 14 to 17 were needed to replace several major pipelines to improve the water supply system and plant operation’s efficiency.

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