Month: September 2017
‘NO’ TO BEER FEST
The Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) is of the view that Oktoberfest, a German beer festival, should never be permitted at all and we have been consistent in our stand. We launched a nationwide anti-alcohol campaign in 1988 to tackle the problem from different angles. This tireless effort came in the form of numerous letters and memos to the authorities, coaxing them to take action,...
Read More 
The Hidden Suffering of Poultry
Malaysians consume chicken meat and eggs on a daily basis yet hardly a thought is given to the horrendous conditions in the modern livestock raising systems known as ‘factory-farming’. Malaysia is largely self sufficient in poultry meat production with over 81% of the local domestic demand for meat and more than 111% of the country’s demand for eggs met by the local poultry industry....
Read More Proposed Pharmacy Bill – Unjustified
The Consumers Association of Penang is disappointed at the Ministry of Health’s decision not to separate the roles of dispensing and prescribing. Cleared the Ministry of Health has bowed down to the pressure of the powerful medical lobby in refusing to create a system of separation of duties in prescription and dispensing. Separation of dispensing and prescribing is the norm in developed...
Read More WHY KIDDIE PACKS SHOULD NOT BE REINTRODUCED
The Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) urges the government not to buckle under the tobacco industry pressure to introduce ‘kiddie packs’. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “tobacco kills a third to half of all people who use it, on average 15 years prematurely”. This is a reason important enough to stop entertaining the industry. Under what circumstances must the...
Read More CAP Welcomes Government Move On Hepatitis C Medicine, Calls For It To Be Made Available Within A Few Days Or Weeks
The Consumers Association of Penang congratulates the Government for issuing a license relating to the “rights of government” to obtain generic versions of the Hepatitis C medicine sofosbuvir, as announced by the Minister of Health, Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam in his press statement on 20 September. This move has raised hopes of the 500,000 Hepatitis C patients in Malaysia and their families...
Read More 
Need to stop further hill and tree cutting and over-development in Penang
Sahabat Alam Malaysia and the Consumers’ Association of Penang are alarmed by the massive flash floods that hit Penang both on the island and the mainland following intense downpours throughout the early morning of Friday, 15 September. Apart from many areas in Penang under water, we also received news of landslides and mudslides in several areas such as in Tanjung Bungah and Paya Terubong,...
Read More 
RESOLVE DRAINAGE PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY
Cause of Water Overflow in Nibong Tebal, Seberang Perai Selatan and Relau, Kedah Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) urged the relevant authorities to investigate the root cause of overflow of river water after a heavy downpour in several areas around Seberang Perai Selatan on Saturday, September 9, 2017. Appropriate measures including upgrading drainage systems should be taken to address the problem of...
Read More 
International Awareness Day: Stop Live Transport
Transporting of livestock. Most people interested in animal welfare would agree that transporting livestock destined for slaughter across a country, an ocean or a continent is a practice that should be discontinued. Though the status of animal transport in each region presents a somewhat different context, the basic problems of overcrowding, rough handling and ill effects from long rides...
Read More Firefly Habitat and Aquatic Life of Sungai Sepetang Will Be Destroyed
Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) expressed concern over the encroachment and destruction of the Sepetang River reserve in the Kerian and Larut Matang and Selama districts in Perak, which is still being carried out by irresponsible parties. SAM’s recent survey with several committee members of Persatuan Kelip-Kelip Kampung Dew, Taiping found that an estimated 6 hectares of the Sepetang River reserve...
Read More