Darshan Singh Dhillon

LETTER | Its e-payment system and the 10 pct surcharge lacks efficiency and the gov't should allow more players to participate in this business.

LETTER | They should be charged with negligence for allowing their drivers to drive under the influence of intoxicants.

LETTER | Punishing someone for making a hate speech is not a long-term solution.

LETTER | Let’s adopt a pragmatic approach to achieving desired results

LETTER | There remains much work to be done with regards to affordable housing for the masses.

Rapid expansion of the middle-class segment of society coupled with rising urban migration are among key factors prompting a sharp increase in the number of vehicles on the roads especially in cities like Kuala Lumpur. More often than not, hours are spent battling traffic congestion, especially during peak hours, impacting overall productivity of our nation.

Our wellness is predominantly associated with our diet but while eating right is important, food hygiene bears equal importance, if not more. Maintaining hygiene standards is essentially a given requirement of operating any food outlet but sadly we continue to read or even witness premises operating under deplorable conditions, where overall aspects of hygiene is compromised.

Referring to the recent issue concerning paint brushes made of pig bristle, the Malaysia Consumers Movement (MCM) commends Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Hamzah Zainuddin for mandating enforcement officers to halt raids as well as seizure of related products. This decision was bold, but certainly apt.

Kudos to Perak’s Menteri Besar (MB) Zambry Abdul Kadir for donning the orange T-shirt, getting on the ground, dirtying his hands in living and experiencing the daily life of an Ipoh City Council worker, even if only for a day. Only one with a humble upbringing would be able to pull off the MB’s bold action.

The ‘no plastic’ policy is not something which is new. It has for a long time been implemented successfully in many countries. In Malaysia, since its first introduction by the Penang state government in 2009, the no plastic campaign has gained tremendous traction. Today various state governments have declared no plastic day every day albeit applying different implementation mechanisms.

The Malaysia Consumers Movement (MCM) congratulates the prime minister and MRT Corp for successfully completing and launching Phase One of the MRT Sungai Buloh-Kajang (SBK) line which covers 12 stations and spans 23km from Sungai Buloh to Semantan.

The rise of construction related accidents in Malaysia has reached an alarming level. According to the Malaysian Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB), there has been 117 accident cases since 2012, involving 87 deaths. This year alone there were eight reported incidents including the recent KL Eco City disaster.

The Domestic Trade, Consumerism and Cooperatives Minister has recently announced that there will be no subsidies for bottled cooking oil but subsidies for cooking oil sold in 1kg polybags will remain. Cooking oil in polybags will continue to be sold at RM2.50 per kg.

Undeniably, political matters and the cost of living issue are now keenly discussed by Malaysians at large. Stretching the ringgit to cope with expenses has become a major household priority. It is not surprising to see many implementing various measures to cushion the cost of living impact which includes eating at home or even packing food for lunch at work. Amongst many others, one notable change is relying on public transportation when moving around.

As Malaysia moves towards the realisation of a developed nation, the country’s investments and cost elements calls for close scrutiny. The Malaysia Consumers Movement (MCM) is of the opinion that now, more than ever before, channelling of government funds for socio-economic development efforts which would result in long term tangible outcomes is critical.

It is widely acknowledged that food security is a now amongst the major concerns of the world. It is predicted that by 2050 we will not have enough food to feed the planet, and yet today statistics indicate that we waste almost one third of all food that we produce.

We will soon celebrate our 59th Merdeka Day. Every one of us we must surely beam in pride witnessing the socio-economic progress which we have made together as a nation since gaining independence from the British in 1957.

In less than three months, Budget 2017 themed ‘Accelerating Growth, Ensuring Fiscal Prudence, Enhancing Well-being of the People’ will be tabled in Parliament. The theme in itself holds much expectation among the rakyat, all eagerly awaiting for implementation of measures which would ease cost of living issues, not just in the short, but longer term.

The world over, governments and environment protection groups are working tirelessly to create awareness on the importance of protecting the environment. It is of no surprise that environmental issues such as air pollution, spills and ineffective waste management do result in adverse consequences.

The Malaysia Consumers Movement (MCM) notes with disappointment Kuala Lumpur City Hall’s decision to drastically increase parking fees at several hotspots around the city. While the City Hall’s effort to discourage vehicles into the city, especially single occupant vehicles, is lauded, this policy when implemented may potentially cause greater concern than benefit.

Malaysia’s rich multicultural diversity has been our pride for years where we celebrate our differences living in harmony, together building a great nation. Fundamental to any multi-racial, multi-cultural and multi-religious nation’s growth, is the unity amongst its people. Over the past five decades, we have toiled together and achieved unparalleled success across socioeconomic and political fronts.