http://www.consumer.com.my/resources/index.php en-us Nucleus v3.15 © Weblog http://backend.userland.com/rss http://www.consumer.com.my/resources/index.php/nucleus/nucleus2.gif http://www.consumer.com.my/resources/index.php http://www.consumer.com.my/resources/index.phpindex.php?itemid=695
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source : http://www.nanyang.com/index.php?ch=29&pg=25&ac=651960]]> Local News http://www.consumer.com.my/resources/index.phpindex.php?itemid=695 Thu, 28 Sep 2006 11:51:48 +0800 http://www.consumer.com.my/resources/index.phpindex.php?itemid=694
People age 65 and older take more prescription and over-the-counter medicines than any other age group. Older people as a group tend to have more long-term, chronic illnesses such as arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

People age 65 and older take more prescription and over-the-counter medicines than any other age group. Older people as a group tend to have more long-term, chronic illnesses such as arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

Because older people may have a number of health problems or issues at the same time, it is common for older people to take many different drugs. To avoid risk and get the best results from your medicines, here are some tips on how to take medicines safely and manage them wisely.

- Check the label on your medicine before taking it to make sure that it is for you.
- Read and save any written information that comes with the medicine.
- Take the medicine according to the schedule on the label.
- Don't take more or less than the prescribed amount of any medicine.
- If swallowing tablets is difficult, ask your doctor or pharmacist whether there is a liquid form of the medicine or whether you could crush your tablets.
* Do not break, crush, or chew tablets without asking a health professional first.
* NEVER break, crush, or chew a capsule.
- Get into the habit of checking the expiration dates on your medicine bottles, and throw away medicine that has expired.
- Try to set and follow a routine for taking your medicines.


Types of Medicine

There are two types of medications: prescription drugs and over-the-counter drugs. Prescription drugs are prescribed by a doctor. Over-the-counter drugs can be purchased without a doctor's prescription.

It is important to realize that over-the-counter products include many different substances such as vitamins and minerals, herbal and dietary supplements, laxatives, cold medicines, and antacids

If your doctor prescribes a medication for your condition, make sure that you find out as much about it as you can and that you learn to take it properly.

Ask your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse about the right way to take any medicine before you start to use it. Ask questions when you don't know the meaning of a word, or when instructions aren't clear.

Here are some specific questions to ask:

- How should I store the medication?
- Does the medication need to be refrigerated?
- Can the pharmacist substitute a less expensive, generic form of the medicine?
- What is the name of the medicine and why am I taking it?
- What is the name of the condition this medicine will treat?
- How long will it take to work?
- When should I take it? As needed, or on a schedule? Before, with, or between meals? At bedtime?
- How often should I take it?
- How long will I have to take it?
- How will I feel once I start taking this medicine?
- How will I know if this medicine is working?
- If I forget to take it, what should I do?
- What side effects might I expect? Should I report them?
- Can this medicine interact with other prescription and over-the-counter medicines -- including herbal and dietary supplements -- that I am taking now?


Absorption of Medicine?

As the body ages, its ability to absorb and process foods and drugs changes. Older people often need smaller doses of medicine per pound of body weight than they did when they were younger.


source : http://www.mamashealth.com/senior/medicine.asp
]]> Buyer's Tips http://www.consumer.com.my/resources/index.phpindex.php?itemid=694 Fri, 15 Sep 2006 13:21:33 +0800 http://www.consumer.com.my/resources/index.phpindex.php?itemid=693
"Once it is launched, we are going after these unscrupulous people and put an end to the problem once and for all," said one of the source.

Veerasingam ... 'check before you invest'
He said the ministry was unable to stop them from operating currently because the Direct Selling Act did not spell out in detail how such businesses ought to be run.

"It allows one to approach people, to market products but of course there are time limits when you can approach the public and how you market the products," he said.

"Since it is not specified, this is where the abuse occurs. And, you have all sorts of gimmicks being implemented to convince people to buy," the source said.

Deputy Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk S. Veerasingam said the ministry could not just revoke the licences of all businesses that use the "scratch and win" coupons as their marketing tool as genuine companies did the same.

"Some of the companies do give out the prizes listed in the tickets without additional payments or 'tricks'," he said. "And, this is not against the law."

Veerasingam said the problem arose when some companies used it as a gimmick to get people to buy other products before getting their prizes.

He said the ministry had carried out programmes to advise the public against falling prey to such tactics, but cases continued to surface.

Veerasingam said the problem was similar to that of the "Get-Rich-Quick" schemes which the government had repeatedly warned people to stay away from.

"Check before you invest or make large payments and be wary because there are people trying to cheat you out there," he said.

He urged anyone with information on such scams to report them to the ministry's hotline at 1800-886-800.


source : http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?
file=/2006/9/14/central/15378216&sec=central

<< Related Stories: >>
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]]> Local News http://www.consumer.com.my/resources/index.phpindex.php?itemid=693 Thu, 14 Sep 2006 16:16:46 +0800 http://www.consumer.com.my/resources/index.phpindex.php?itemid=692
Two teenagers stopped her as she entered her car. They said their company sold electrical appliances and was celebrating its anniversary and was giving away prices worth over RM1mil, including a Perdana V6, Proton Gen 2, 10 Kancil, motorcycles, plasma TVs and a massage chair.

The companies recruit such youngsters, who are unaware of their unethical job functions.
"They looked friendly and innocent," said Lee. "I even chatted with them. They told me that they were still studying in college, and doing the job on a part-time basis," said the IT personnel in her mid 20s.

They asked her to take part in a game by opening a coupon, claiming that if the coupon read "Thank You", she would not win anything but buy the company's products at promotional price, adding that the company would give them RM1 as commission for each "Thank You" coupon.

However, they said if the coupon read "Congratulations", she could win any one of the prices, perhaps even a car.

To support their promises, they showed her newspaper cutting of a middle-aged woman winning the grand prize of a Perdana V6, and two other "lucky ones" who drove home a Kancil.

"One of them, an 18-year-old girl, told me that she was the one servicing the V6 winner and the company paid her RM2,000 in commission for that," said Lee, who proceeded to open the coupon and found the word "Congratulations" inside.

"They said there were only 50 'Congratulations' coupons, 36 of which had been won, and so I was the lucky few.

"They added that the coupon would definitely come with a gift, but before that, I had to buy three products from their company at a promotional price of RM3,888," she said.

The products were a water purifier, air purifier and foot massager.

The two encouraged Lee to go to their company's office in Jalan Kuchai Lama since she had been so lucky to come to this stage of the game.

"The prices attracted me. I thought if I won any of the vehicles, I could trade it in and cover the RM3,888 spent on buying the products. So I followed them to the office.

"I knew I would have to absorb the sum if I got the plasma TV or the massage chair cause I can't sell them off easily, but I was still tempted to try my luck," she added.

To her dismay, the coupon showed "Massage Chair" and Lee was immediately asked to pay for the three products to get the chair.

"I can't be forking out RM4,000, so I refused to take the prize. They said since I had opened the coupon, I had to buy at least two of the products, air purifier and foot massager, at RM1,000," she said.

Without winning anything, Lee ended up losing RM1,000 and brought home two overpriced products.

Lee filed her case with the Consumer Claims Tribunal and managed to get her money refunded.


source : http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?
file=/2006/9/14/central/15378029&sec=central

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]]> Local News http://www.consumer.com.my/resources/index.phpindex.php?itemid=692 Thu, 14 Sep 2006 16:13:05 +0800 http://www.consumer.com.my/resources/index.phpindex.php?itemid=691
Rungit Singh ... 'the tricksters play on people's feelings'
DESPITE widespread publicity, city folks still fall prey to scams, the most common one being the "scratch and win" contests.

Working executives, housewives, old folks and even professionals have spent thousands of ringgit on products they did not want.

These "contests" come in different forms - scratching a card, opening a coupon or picking an envelope - and each offers "fabulous" prizes.

Some come in the form of letters, calls or in the form of Short Messaging System (SMS), alerting "lucky winners" to pick up their gifts.

Consumers are invited to the organisers' offices and shown the prizes. However, there is a catch. They have to buy something to get them. And, according to reports some have lost more than RM30, 000 in such schemes.

Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry's Consumer Claims Tribunal chairman Rungit Singh said thousands had been duped in such scams. They all felt it was too good to be true at the time, he said.

"The tricksters play on people's greedy, get-rich-quick and 'I am blessed' feelings," said Rungit Singh.

"The reality is no one is going to show up at your door step to offer you a brand new car on a silver platter - just like that."

Rungit Singh said the products were usually water filters, air purifiers and sauna systems, all of which were of low quality. "They are worth only about RM700 to RM800 but are sold for RM3,000," he said, adding that the companies would claim that they made so much in profits and wanted consumers to benefit from the successes.


Some, said Rungit Singh, would claim that it was the company's anniversary, hence the "generous" offer.

"Yet others would resort to play-acting, such as jumping for joy when a customer picks the winning card, heartily congratulating the winner saying that they would be getting a commission too," he said. "And, of course they would back up their claims with photocopies of newspaper clippings showing past winners."

Rungit Singh advised those who had fallen prey to such scams to file a claim with the tribunal, which has branches nationwide.

"The victim would have to fill up a few forms and pay a fee of RM5," he said. "A court hearing date would be set. He or she then has to serve the form to the company that duped them.

"If a company representative does not turn up for the hearing, the tribunal will give it an order to refund the money."


The tribunal is an independent body established under the Consumer Protection Act 1999 with the primary function of hearing and determining claims lodged by consumers.

It provides an alternative channel, apart from the courts, for consumers to claim for any loss suffered in a less cumbersome and speedy manner - and at minimal cost!

"If the company is found to be in the wrong after the hearing, it will be ordered to reimburse. A report will also be forwarded to the Domestic Trader and Consumer Affairs Ministry to withhold the company's selling licence," said Rungit Singh.

According to him, scratch-and-win scams have reached alarming heights. Last year, they formed the greatest number of cases taken to the tribunal nationwide, with 1,571 cases pending.

This is also the third-largest category of complaints at the National Consumer Complaints Centre, with 1,066 lodged, while the number of unreported cases is estimated to be in the tens of thousands.

There were also 241 police reports lodged nationwide on scratch-and-win tricks last year.

"There are about 68 such companies operating in Malaysia and which were blacklisted last year," said Rungit Singh. "Once they are caught, their modus operandi is to move out and set up shop elsewhere under a different name," he said.

Rungit said that 90% of the cases brought to the tribunal were either settled amicably between both parties or withdrawn.

"The remaining 10% will be liable to a fine not exceeding RM5,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or both," he said.

Rungit advised victims to not open the products.

"Do not compromise your position by using the products as that would mean that you have accepted it," he said, adding that consumers had a time period of three years from the date of purchase to file their claims.

In Federal Territory and Selangor, the tribunal's branches are located at The Mall shopping centre, Federal Administrative Centre, Putrajaya and PKNS Complex in Shah Alam.

The ministry can be reached at 1800-886-800 while the tribunal can be contacted at 1800-88-9811.


source : http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?
file=/2006/9/14/central/15389789&sec=central

<< Related Stories: >>
Friendly teenagers do their part in scam
Deputy minister: They're out to cheat you
]]> Local News http://www.consumer.com.my/resources/index.phpindex.php?itemid=691 Thu, 14 Sep 2006 16:10:41 +0800 http://www.consumer.com.my/resources/index.phpindex.php?itemid=690
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Source : http://www.sinchew-i.com/commentary/index.phtml?sec=884]]> Local News http://www.consumer.com.my/resources/index.phpindex.php?itemid=690 Fri, 08 Sep 2006 11:52:28 +0800 http://www.consumer.com.my/resources/index.phpindex.php?itemid=689
When buying ask if there is an international warranty and look at it yourself. Be sure the dealer chops the warranty card and be sure it has the correct serial # as they do sometimes get the packaging mixed up. Ask to test the equipment before leaving the shop and check to be sure everything you have just paid for is inside the box! Be sure a receipt and all papers are included.SINGAPORE

If leaving by air you may be eligible for a 5% GST tax refund, either directly from the retailer or at the airport.

If you feel you have been screwed on a purchase in Singapore due to faulty goods or overpricing they do have very strict protections for you. First try to resolve the problem with the dealer. If you feel you have been overcharged he has to show you the Recommended Retail Price (RRP)

At Sim Lim Square they will help you with this through the Customer Relations Officer at the Information Counter on the ground floor. You will need your receipt and the original packaging.

Or, check with the Ministry of Trade and Industry: 100 High Street, #09-01 The Treasury, Singapore 179434 Tel: (+65) 6225-9911, website: http://app.mti.gov.sg

Or, The Small Claims Tribunal: website: http://www.smallclaims.gov.sg The process can take as much as 14 to 21 days. But urgent or tourist claims will be settled within 24 hours! Fees are S$10 for under S$5000, 20 for up to 10,000, 1% for claim amounts up to S$20,000. No lawyers allowed. And you have to do it within one year.

++++++++++++++++

MALAYSIA

Also there are some good Consumer Associations in Malaysia. The tourist association offices should know the address in their local areas. Or, see the consumer ¡°HelpDesk Menu,¡± in the website: http://www.consumer.com.my Or just go to: http://www.consumer.com.my/resources/helpdesk.php. The site has lots of tips, cautions and commentaries


by Charles Smith

April 23, 2006
Source: http://www.talesofasia.com/rs-123-purchase.htm]]> Local News http://www.consumer.com.my/resources/index.phpindex.php?itemid=689 Sun, 09 Jul 2006 11:33:40 +0800 http://www.consumer.com.my/resources/index.phpindex.php?itemid=688
So far, at least 500 people have done just that ¨C they have sought the services of the central bank¡¯s Credit Counselling and Management Agency (CCDMA) in the two months of its existence.

According to its chief executive officer Mohamed Akwal Sultan, the agency had been approached by debtors with an array of problems.

An example was the man who was forced to default on his loans because he had to use the money on treatment for his terminally ill wife.

¡°Others found themselves in a difficult situation when they lost their jobs. Some of the younger debtors who came to the agency for assistance were floundering as a result of bad spending habits,¡± he said in an interview yesterday.
He revealed that some individuals who had several credit cards usually did not realise the consequences of uncontrolled spending until their bills had run into thousands of ringgit.

He said what the agency provided was counselling and advice on debt management.

It also customised solutions for debtors, which could involve debt waivers and restructuring of loans, depending on the arrangement made with the relevant financial institutions.

¡°As a mediator, the agency will advise the financial institutions about the debtor¡¯s situation and work with them to find the best solution for repayment,¡± he said.

He also said that the agency would only work with financial institutions that were regulated under the central bank.

The agency would assess the financial situation of the debtor and arrange for the debtor to pay the financial institutions through the agency.

¡°This is one way of ensuring that the restructuring process is done smoothly,¡± he said.

However, if debtors could not comply with such arrangements, the agency had the right to terminate its services, which was offered at no fee, he added.

Mohamed Akwal said although Malaysia¡¯s credit card usage was low with eight million cards in circulation, and its debt low at RM16.7bil up to March this year, the central bank initiated the agency as a pre-emptive measure.

For debtors to qualify for the agency¡¯s debt management programme, they must have a source of recurring income to meet the payment schedule. Also, they must not be under advanced legal action or be an undischarged bankrupt.

Bank Negara governor Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz announced the setting-up of the CCDMA last November, and it was officially launched in April.

Out of the 500 people who have sought its counselling or financial advice, some 200 applicants have been put under its debt management programme.

The agency, which has more than 20 financial advisors, would double its team next month as part of its expansion plan, said Mohamed Akwal.

He added that five regional offices would be opened next month to provide debt management services in the central bank¡¯s premises in Penang, Kuala Terengganu, Johor Baru, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching.

Other plans in the pipeline included financial education for specific target groups such as students, professionals or housewives through roadshows, seminars or special sessions.



The Credit Counselling and Management Agency is located at Level 8, Maju Junction Mall, Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 1-800-88-2575 or 03-2698 8575

More information is available at www.akpk.org.my

Source: http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?
file=/2006/6/16/nation/14557053&sec=nation&focus=1]]> Local News http://www.consumer.com.my/resources/index.phpindex.php?itemid=688 Fri, 16 Jun 2006 14:43:38 +0800 http://www.consumer.com.my/resources/index.phpindex.php?itemid=687
The current sugar shortage came about because industries were buying up the stock at the subsidised rate meant for consumers (RM1.40 a kg), leaving practically nothing for the man-in-the-street.

With hypermarkets limiting sales of sugar packets to customers and sundry stores having their quotas reduced, the sweet commodity is getting increasingly rare on the shelves.

In Shah Alam sugar is ¡°flying off¡± the shelves in certain areas because the controlled price of this item makes it cheaper here than in neighbouring countries, said Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs deputy minister Datuk S. Veerasingam.

Industrial users had been taking advantage of this situation by bulk-buying the commodity in recent months, but their action had eaten into the supply meant for local consumers.

¡°This situation is both good and bad. Good because the heavy buying by industrial users indicates they have brisk business for their products and this creates more employment opportunities.

¡°Bad because the heavy buying of sugar reduces the supply meant for local consumers,¡± Veerasingam told reporters after he and several top-level ministry enforcement officers visited the Central Sugar Refinery plant here yesterday.

There had been a surge in demand for sugar in recent months.

¡±Many are buying from wholesalers who are supposed to deliver the supply to consumers at the controlled price,¡± said Veerasingam, who has directed a stop to this practice.

He also called on consumers not to go on a panic-buying spree, as this would aggravate the situation.

He said the ministry was working hard to ensure sugar supply remained plentiful for the coming festive months from October to February next year.

Veerasingam added that a manufacturer in Perlis had only been producing at 50% of its capacity (6,000 tonnes) for the past two to three months as bad weather had reduced the sugarcane harvest.

¡°The other three manufacturers have agreed to increase output to make up for this shortfall.¡±

Federation of Sundry Goods Merchants Association of Malaysia president Lean Hing Chuan said the situation was particularly serious in Terengganu, Perak and parts of Selangor.

A distributor claimed that sugar refiners had reduced his supply quota by about 40%.

Carrefour corporate communications and public relations manager Yuswanis Yusof said the hypermarket was not facing any serious sugar shortage.

Consumers finding it difficult to buy sugar can report their problems to the ministry hotline at 1-800-886-800 or operations room at 03-8882 6083/5/8.



Source: http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2006/6/13/nation/14511871&sec=nation&focus=1]]> Local News http://www.consumer.com.my/resources/index.phpindex.php?itemid=687 Tue, 13 Jun 2006 12:46:42 +0800 http://www.consumer.com.my/resources/index.phpindex.php?itemid=686
However, the increase will not affect the low to medium income group which uses less than 200kWh of electricity per month as the existing rate of 21.8 sen per kWh remains unchanged.

Announcing the Cabinet¡¯s decision yesterday, Energy, Water and Communications Minister Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik said those unaffected by the tariff increase made up 60% or 3.036 million of the 5.1million households in the peninsula.

This group, he said, paid a monthly electricity bill of less than RM43.60.

The original tariff proposal by TNB would have seen only about 40% of consumers unaffected by the increase, but the Government asked the national utility company to come up with another proposal that would see more households not having to pay more.

¡°TNB had asked for a 20% increase in tariff but after much deliberation the Cabinet allowed only a 12% increase,¡± said Dr Lim.

He said almost one million households which used up to 300kWh of electricity per month and pay between RM44 and RM70 would experience a minimal monthly increase of between 3 sen and RM3.10.

¡°The new tariff structure encourages consumers to conserve energy instead of using electricity as if there is no tomorrow,¡± he said, giving an example that consumers need not set their air-conditioner at 16¡ãC and that 24¡ãC was good enough.

Even with the 12% tariff increase, he said, Malaysia still had the cheapest electricity in the region with the exception of Indonesia.

In line with the Government¡¯s policy to support the agriculture sector and modernise activities such as poultry and animal husbandry, growing of vegetables and fruits, and fish breeding ¨C currently classified as commercial activities ¨C Dr Lim said a special tariff which is lower than the rate for the commercial sector has been introduced.

The special industrial tariff would be retained for industrial consumers whose electricity consumption represented 5% or more of their operating costs.

Lower rates during off-peak hours between 10pm and 8am for both domestic and commercial sectors remained unchanged, he said.

Also retained is the 10% discount in electricity tariff for government schools and institutions of higher learning, welfare homes, and places of worship.

Dr Lim said TNB, which would make an additional RM1.5bil in revenue per year with the new tariff structure, would have to improve its service and reliability of supply in return for the tariff rise.

He suggested a client¡¯s charter, and TNB to compensate consumers in the form of rebates if it failed to provide good service as agreed in the charter.

¡°This first increase in electricity tariff since 1997 is to offset escalating fuel costs ¨C coal by 69%, and oil and gas by 230%, which have affected TNB,¡± he said, adding that the Government planned to concentrate on hydro electric power in future.

Stressing that there would be no more new gas and coal-powered Independent Power Producers (IPPs) in future, Dr Lim said the ministry was now having discussions with the existing IPPs over a supplementary agreement.

The agreement included reducing the energy reserve margin from 40% to 20% and reducing the capacity charges on TNB, currently at RM3.3bil.

The third principle was to have a bidding process for energy required above the agreed reserved margin, he said, adding that the lowest bidding price would most probably get the contract.

Source: http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2006/5/25/nation/14343755&sec=nation&focus=1]]> Local News http://www.consumer.com.my/resources/index.phpindex.php?itemid=686 Thu, 25 May 2006 16:55:20 +0800