The Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) must suspend the SMS friendship service operated by private telecommunication companies quickly before it brings more detriment to the younger generation, especially teenagers.

National Consumer Complaints Centre (NCCC) director Darshan Singh said MCMC should play a more active role in monitoring the abuse of the mobile phone technology to ensure that consumers do not bear the brunt of its negative effects.

But the SMS friendship service provided by many telcos are not being monitored or controlled and this has resulted in a host of problems involving those using the service, he told malaysiakini today.

Darshan said the MCMC should also set up an enforcement body as soon as possible to act as a watch-dog as well as a monitoring agent against abuses by telcos operating the friendship service or other services that are open to public participation.

He revealed that recently NCCC lodged a complaint to MCMC highlighting the SMS friendship service issue and had anticipated a prompt reply. But no reply has been forthcoming to this day, according to Darshan.

The NCCC director expressed his disappointment over the way MCMC had handled telcos which have reaped in millions via the SMS friendship service.

These telcos are earning at least RM400 million per year in this SMS friendship service, he said, claiming that many users were 'cheated' on a daily basis.

"Merely regulating codes ain't enough, there must also be enforcement power against those who flout the laws," Darshan stressed.

A way of cheating customers

NCCC, he said, has also received many complaints that they were being charged by telcos for using their SMS service even when the service has broken down and not functioning.

This, he pointed out, was a form of cheating consumers.

Darshan also blasted a private television station owned by Media Prima Sdn Bhd for providing extensive advertising and promotion for the SMS friendship service which he said was 'inappropriate'.

"The tv station should not be providing the space for them to advertise because the service has caused many problems to the public," he said.

The target group of the service are mainly teenagers who are prepaid users. Often, they are not aware when these telcos send messages to them and then deducting the charges from their phone credit. Each SMS is normally charged RM0.50.

A way to improve the situation is to insist that telcos issue receipts to those who subscribe to their services, according to Darshan.

"I think it is important for the users to be constantly updated of their telephone charges. That way, parents are also able to check on their children's phone expenses," he added.

Then again, this is only a temporary solution. The permanent one must involve a concerted effort from all in the MCMC, Darshan said.