September 2014 – Consumers Association Penang

Plantation development in the Lesong Permanent Reserved Forest: Are we really practising sustainable forestry?

admin September 26, 2014 0 Comments

SAM deplores the decision of the Pahang State Government to permit forest conversion activities to take place within the Lesong Permanent Reserved Forest (PRF) in Kuala Rompin. On September 25, The Star reported that the Pahang Forestry Department had reasoned that since a third of the Lesong PRF is deemed to contain poor quality timber, “hence, a decision was made by the Pahang state...

Test Loom Bands and Clear Confusion

admin September 23, 2014 0 Comments

As of late there has been a lot of conflicting news in circulation about loom band and phthalates – a harmful chemical commonly found in plastic products. Looms bands have become a nationwide craze; popular among children and adults alike. Therefore it is a concern for us, the Consumer’s Association of Penang, that there are such contradictory reports on whether or not loom bands are safe....

Cancer behind 70% deaths in India’s atomic energy hubs

admin September 15, 2014 0 Comments

Cancer caused almost 70% of the 3,887 health-related deaths in the atomic energy hubs in India over the last 20 years. In all, 2,600 succumbed to cancer in 19 centres between 1995 and 2014. The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), under the Department of Atomic Energy, had another shocking revelation: 255 employees took their own lives while in harness in the same period, meaning an average of...

Publicise Names of Dirty Food Factories

admin September 12, 2014 0 Comments

The Consumers’ Association of Penang commends the Health Authorities in Penang for taking a bold move in closing down dirty food factories in the state. A similar crackdown should be carried out nationwide. Food safety should not be taken lightly. However CAP feels that compounds and closures serve neither to stop errant owners from repeating their mistakes nor as an effective deterrent to...

Solve irrigation problem to stop declining padi yields in MADA area

admin September 8, 2014 0 Comments

The Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) urges the Muda Agricultural Development Authority (MADA) to take prompt action to resolve the problem faced by farmers in Kampung Kubang Pisang, Mukim Rambai, Pendang District, Kedah. The problem faced since five years ago not only threatens the paddy plants grown by the farmers in the village but has also reduced their income during each harvest season....

Penang – A Developer’s Paradise

admin September 5, 2014 0 Comments

CAP and SAM read with disdain regarding another proposed mammoth development project, this time in Batu Ferringhi. The development rush in Penang is beginning to wreak havoc due to the island’s inability to absorb the burden of development. From the hills to the beaches, very few places are held sacred. Penang has lost its charm, slowly losing its greenery and its original shoreline. Even...

POLICE SUMMONS FOR A NON-EXISTENT TRAFFIC OFFENCE

Admin September 4, 2014 0 Comments

“Cross-hatchings” are oblique lines painted on roads and were created to replace the solid barriers that used to be built on roads to channel traffic into appropriate lanes. Vehicles, especially those going straight with no other vehicles ahead, used to crash into such barriers. To prevent such crashes and make traffic flow safer and smoother, the kerb-stones barriers were replaced with...

Say “No” to Landfills and Incinerators: New Case Studies Show ‘Zero Waste’ Success in Europe

admin September 4, 2014 0 Comments

In recent times, there has been considerable debate on the benefits of landfills and incinerators in Malaysia by both landfill operators and pro-incinerator lobbyists who have been using the media to present their arguments. The Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) would like to highlight that instead of harping on polluting and wasting methods such as landfills and incinerators, the Zero...

Consumers Association Penang

Month: September 2014