Extend loan moratorium, say master builders still reeling from multibillion-ringgit losses
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September 18, 2020 4:09 PM
BUTTERWORTH: A group representing contractors and suppliers today called on the government to extend the loan repayment moratorium for construction-related companies by another six months to March, saying it is still reeling from the RM11.6 billion monthly losses because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Master Builders Association Malaysia (MBAM) said while the government has given an assurance it would carry out projects to kick-start the construction industry, the ability to stave off debt by these companies continues to be a concern.
Its president Foo Chek Lee said while construction work had resumed after the movement control order (MCO) was relaxed, they could only operate at 80% capacity, earning just enough to cover their costs.
“The construction industry involves 190 downstream industries, so if we were to grind to a halt, other unrelated industries would also be paralysed.
“While we are happy the government plans to roll out over 300 tenders related to infrastructure works in the coming year to spur the industry, the pressing problem is our ability to settle outstanding debts.
‘Quality of face masks will be monitored soon’
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Friday, 18 Sep 2020
JOHOR BARU: The Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry (KPDNHEP) intends to come up with a mechanism to verify the quality of face masks sold in the country.
Its deputy minister, Datuk Rosol Wahid, said that his ministry is planning to work with the Chemistry Department and the Health Ministry to help the public identify face masks that meet standards necessary to fight Covid-19.
“At the moment, we do not have a proper way to monitor the quality of face masks sold here.
“We will try to come up with the mechanism as soon as possible as it is important for the public to use face masks that actually work,” he said in a press conference after visiting Durio PPE Sdn Bhd, a face mask manufacturing factory in Johor.
He noted that some three-ply face masks sold here have low filtration levels.
“I urge consumers to be aware of the quality of face masks they are buying, and to make a complaint to the ministry if they find anything wrong with the product,” he said.
Fomca urges insurance companies to postpone premium increase
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September 15, 2020 @ 7:06pm
KUALA LUMPUR: Insurance companies were urged not to increase insurance premium, especially medical insurance, which has become a necessity these days.
Federation of Malaysian Consumers Association (Fomca) president Datuk Dr N. Marimuthu said insurance companies were not portraying what they were championing, health care protection at a time of need.
"The insurance companies are increasing their medical premiums at the time when not only our nation but the whole world is under the attack of the pandemic Covid-19," he said in a statement today.
He said the economy of many countries were at stake, including Malaysia. Many Malaysians of all walks of life had lost their jobs and some even had to take substantial pay cut.
Gangguan bekalan air di Selangor pulih sepenuhnya
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Rabu, 9 September 2020 | 7:51am
SHAH ALAM : Gangguan bekalan air tidak berjadual sejak 3 September lalu di tujuh wilayah sudah pulih sepenuhnya pagi ini.
Ketua Komunikasi Korporat Pengurusan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd Elina Baseri, berkata gangguan itu membabitkan tujuh wilayah iaitu Wilayah Klang/Shah Alam, Petaling, Kuala Langat, Hulu Selangor, Kuala Selangor, Gombak dan Kuala Lumpur.
"Air Selangor merakamkan penghargaan terima kasih di atas kesabaran pengguna sepanjang tempoh gangguan bekalan air tidak berjadual ini.
"Semua pengguna juga diingatkan supaya menggunakan air secara berhemat," katanya dalam satu kenyataan jam 7 pagi ini.
Elina berkata, Air Selangor juga menyarankan pengguna untuk memuat turun aplikasi telefon pintar Air Selangor di Google Play atau App Store untuk informasi terkini bekalan air.
Read more: Gangguan bekalan air di Selangor pulih sepenuhnya
Fomca tidak setuju kerajaan kenakan caj 20 sen
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Rabu | 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.
90-year old woman loses RM3.83 mln in Macau Scam
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08 SEP 2020 / 08:42 H
KUALA LUMPUR: A 90-year-old female retiree lost RM3.83 million as she was allegedly duped by a Macau Scam syndicate.
The woman complied with the syndicate’s instructions to transfer her savings in batches to seven different companies between April 20 and June 15.
Petaling Jaya district police chief ACP Nik Ezanee Mohd Faisal said it all started on June 13 when the nonagenarian allegedly received a phone call from Pos Laju saying that there was a package for her sent from Ipoh to Sabah using her details.
He said the victim’s call was later connected to a local man who claimed to be a sergeant named Ho Mum Foo and whose superior officer was named Inspector Herman Lee from the Commercial Crime Investigation Department of the Perak Police Contingent headquarters.
“Police arrested two local men aged 36 and 43 believed to be involved in this case at a restaurant in Shah Alam, Selangor last Thursday,“ he told Bernama today.
Fomca: Crisis shows reserve deficiency
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September 7, 2020 @ 11:15am
KUALA LUMPUR: As far as Klang Valley's water woes are concerned, history is repeating itself.
It is always the same old story — some irresponsible party dumps effluents into raw water sources and millions of people are left without water.
Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) president Datuk Dr Marimuthu Nadason urged agencies and authorities involved in the supply chain of water regulation and distribution to undertake serious soul-searching over the latest incident involving Sungai Selangor.
He said for starters, the recent crisis reprised a fundamental concern, in that there was a need for sufficient water reserves should a water supply crisis strike again.
Source: https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2020/09/622507/fomca-crisis-shows-reserve-deficiency
Water restoration in Klang Valley at 73.37 per cent
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September 7, 2020 @ 9:27am
KUALA LUMPUR: Efforts to restore water supply to over 1.2 million account holders in 1,292 areas in the Klang Valley stood at 73.37 per cent per cent as at 6.30am today.
Pengurusan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Air Selangor) corporate communication head Elina Baseri said water supply to 948 locations has been fully restored while restoration works are ongoing at another 344 locations.
The restoration exercise of water supply in the affected areas as of 6.30am saw Petaling at 91.78 percent, Klang/Shah Alam (38.42 per cent), Gombak (72.99 per cent), Kuala Lumpur (47.37 per cent), Hulu Selangor (100 per cent), Kuala Langat (50 per cent) and Kuala Selangor (99.25).
She said Air Selangor will provide updates on the situation through all its communication channels including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and the Air Selangor portal at www.airselangor.com.
Source: https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2020/09/622474/water-restoration-klang-valley-7337-cent
PERLU BADAN YANG BERTANGGUNGJAWAB MENGAWAL SELIA KESELAMATAN PELITUP MUKA
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Pada Jun 2020, Pertubuhan Kesihatan Dunia (WHO) telah mengeluarkan kenyataan pemakaian pelitup muka adalah wajib jika penjarakkan sosial tidak dapat dilakukan. Malah pelitup muka jenis fabrik juga dibenarkan oleh pihak WHO tetapi ianya mesti mempunyai 3 lapisan. Berikutan itu, pada 1 Ogos yang lalu, pihak Kerajaan telah menetapkan semua rakyat Malaysia wajib memakai pelitup muka apabila berada di dalam pengangkutan awam dan di kawasan sesak.
Rakyat mula terdesak untuk memakai pelitup muka kerana tidak mahu didenda. Namun begitu, jika pelitup jenis bukan perubatan ini tidak dipantau oleh mana-mana pihak yang berkaitan, besar kemungkinan ada pihak yang mula mengambil kesempatan dengan menjual pelitup muka yang tidak berkualiti atau substandard kepada pengguna.
Persatuan Pengguna-pengguna Standard Malaysia (Standards Users) amat bersetuju dengan kenyataan Dr. Noor Hisham di dalam MalaysiaKini bertarikh 29 Julai 2020 yang menyatakan pihak Kerajaan akan memeriksa keberkesanan pelitup muka kain yang sebenarnya seperti saranan WHO yang mesti mempunyai tiga lapisan dalam tempoh satu bulan ini.
Read more: PERLU BADAN YANG BERTANGGUNGJAWAB MENGAWAL SELIA KESELAMATAN PELITUP MUKA
‘CULPRITS DESERVE HARSHER PENALTIES’
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Strong task force and new law needed to protect water resources, says Fomca president
5 Sep 2020
CONSUMER, civil and pol i t i c al organis at i ons want to see major changes and improvements to existing laws, policies, as well as strong enforcement and harsher penalties against culprits who pollute raw water sources.
Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) president Datuk Dr Marimuthu Nadason said based on the National Water Service Commission’s data last year, water treatment plants were shut down more than 300 times, mainly in Peninsular Malaysia, due to pollution.
“It is time for all government agencies, including the opposition, to tackle this serious issue.”
For example, with the advancement of technology, he said, smart water sensors should be installed at all major rivers and output ducts of factories. He said a strong task force supported by a new law needed to be gazetted to protect the nation’s natural resources.
“Existing industries near water sources should be inspected. An EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) study on each factory should be made mandatory. It is not the right time to blame anyone.”
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