Lai Cheng – Consumers Association Penang

Make public technical report by Department of Irrigation and Drainage on Penang’s coastal erosion

Lai Cheng January 30, 2026 0 Comments

Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) calls on the Penang state government and the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) to make public the technical report on the severe coastal erosion occurring in Batu Ferringhi and Tanjung Bungah in Penang. It is vital that the report is made public so that the causes of the coastal erosion and the mitigation measures to be undertaken can be understood by all...

Rethink tree felling in all Mega Projects

Lai Cheng January 30, 2026 0 Comments

The Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) expresses grave concern over the accelerating rate of tree felling carried out for large-scale development projects across the state. Of particular concern is the ongoing Penang Mutiara Light Rail Transit (LRT) project, where extensive tree clearing had been reported along Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah near Sungai Tiram and Gelugor, as well as other...

No Food Waste, No Plastics and No Littering During Thaipusam

Lai Cheng January 28, 2026 0 Comments

The Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP), the Penang Island City Council (MBPP), and the Malaysia Hindu Sangam Penang State Council jointly urge all Thaipusam devotees, temple authorities, spectators, tourists, and charity organisations to make this year’s Thaipusam a Zero Waste celebration. Thaipusam is a festival of devotion, discipline, and gratitude. These values should also be...

Why You Should Give Your Clothes a Second Life

Lai Cheng January 28, 2026 0 Comments

The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions. To combat this, experts recommend increasing the reuse, upcycling, and recycling of old garments. Fabric waste constituted 3.1% (432,901 tonnes) of the total waste generated (13.9 million tonnes) in 2021 in Malaysia. Globally, 92 million tonnes of textile waste are produced annually, according to the United Nations...

CAP Calls for Ban on Glyphosate in Malaysia

Lai Cheng January 27, 2026 0 Comments

The Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) submitted a memorandum on 14th January 2026 to the Prime Minister, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability, Department of Biosafety Malaysia, and members of the Pesticides Board, urgently calling for a ban on glyphosate and glyphosate-based herbicides in Malaysia. This submission is not...

DIABETES IN A CAN

Lai Cheng January 26, 2026 0 Comments

According to a 2013 study in Diabetologia, drinking just 1 can (12 oz or 336 ml) a day of sugar-sweetened soft drinks may increase the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by 22%. This increase was not found for either fruit juices or artificially sweetened soft drinks. A 2010 study in Diabetes Care reported that people who consume sugary drinks regularly – 1-2 cans a day or more – have a 26%...

THE SACRED IS ALL AROUND US

Lai Cheng January 24, 2026 0 Comments

… in Every Tree, River, and Species that Shares this Planet with Us The words of Hubert Reeves call attention to a paradox woven into human behaviour. We often look beyond the physical world for meaning while forgetting the living systems that sustain our bodies, breath, and future. His reflection reminds us that the sacred is not distant or abstract; it is present in every tree, river, and...

HEALTHY HARVEST!

Lai Cheng January 23, 2026 0 Comments

About one and a half months ago, ladies’ finger seeds were sown at the CAP Urban Garden. Two weeks later, radish seedlings were intercropped alongside the ladies’ fingers. Before transplanting, about half a handful of in-house vermicompost was added to each radish pit. Exactly one and a half months on, the radishes had grown beautifully, emerging from the soil with lush green leaves –...

WHY GIVE UP SMOKING

Lai Cheng January 23, 2026 0 Comments

So you’ve seen all the warnings about how smoking is so bad for you. But here’s the question: Why? What is it about smoking that is so dangerous? A video, “Why Give Up Smoking” by DocUnlock explains why (transcript below). What's inside a cigarette? A cigarette is usually made up of 3 parts: First there is the cigarette filter, this is also known as the cigarette butt. Then there is the...

There are Good Health Reasons for Leaving Your Shoes at the Door

Lai Cheng January 23, 2026 0 Comments

My mother has always had one unbreakable rule: no outdoor shoes inside the house. It didn't matter who you were – family member, neighbour, or guest – you had to take them off before crossing the threshold. As a child, I thought it was just one of her many quirks. But as I've grown older (and wiser), I've come to understand that this wasn't about obsessive tidiness. It was about health,...

Author: Lai Cheng