Lai Cheng – Page 11 – Consumers Association Penang

Austria plans to ban social media for under-14s

Lai Cheng April 3, 2026 0 Comments

Austria is set to follow other countries in curbing young people's access to social media. The three-party governing coalition plans to present a draft law by the end of June. Austria's government has announced plans to ban social media use for children under 14, joining a growing number of countries introducing restrictions for young users. "Today is a good day for children in our country,"...

Has banning phones improved performance at Dutch schools?

Lai Cheng April 3, 2026 0 Comments

Two years ago, Dutch schools banned smartphones to reduce distractions, enhance student concentration, and encourage better academic performance. Since then, mobile phones, smartwatches and tablets have been exiled from classrooms, corridors and canteens in schools across the Netherlands. Now the Dutch government wants to go further, pushing to restrict social media for under‑16s and calling...

Recognize Aquatic Animals as Living Beings, Not Just Resources

Lai Cheng April 3, 2026 0 Comments

On World Aquatic Animal Day, observed on 3 April 2026, the Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) calls on everyone to reflect deeply on our relationship with the millions of aquatic creatures inhabiting our oceans, seas, rivers, mangroves, and coral reefs. This year’s theme, “From Objects to Subjects: Transforming the Way We See and Treat Aquatic Life,” challenges us to fundamentally...

Malaysia’s Public Health Under Threat: Group Warns Against Foreign Asbestos Industry Hijacking National Phase-Out

Lai Cheng April 1, 2026 0 Comments

In conjunction with Global Asbestos Awareness Week 2026, we, the undersigned organizations issue an urgent warning to all Malaysians: our national public health is once again in the crosshairs of the foreign asbestos industry lobby. In 2014, Malaysia was on the brink of enacting a lifesaving ban on asbestos, only for the initiative to be indefinitely derailed by intense corporate pushback. Today,...

The Endless Cycle of Wildlife Trafficking

Lai Cheng April 1, 2026 0 Comments

The Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) is deeply outraged by yet another wildlife smuggling case involving four siamang gibbons, valued at RM120,000, uncovered at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) following the arrest of a Malaysian woman on February 28. But beyond outrage lies a deeper, more troubling question: how many times must we encounter the same headline before we truly...

Simple Way to Health

Lai Cheng March 30, 2026 0 Comments

Most people think getting healthy requires an expensive gym membership. But the truth is much simpler. Just walking 30-45 minutes a day can transform your health. It can: Strengthen your heart Reduce stress and anxiety Support long-term longevity Some of the healthiest populations in the world don’t spend hours in gyms — they simply walk every day as part of life. Your body was designed to...

New Mexico Jury says Meta Harms Children’s Mental Health and Safety, Violating State Law

Lai Cheng March 27, 2026 0 Comments

A New Mexico jury has determined that Meta knowingly harmed children's mental health and concealed what it knew about child sexual exploitation on its social media platforms, a verdict that signals a changing tide against tech companies and the government's willingness to crack down. The landmark decision comes after a nearly seven-week trial, and as jurors in a federal court in California have...

Vital Freshwater Fish Migrations Collapsing Worldwide, Warns UN

Lai Cheng March 26, 2026 0 Comments

Migratory freshwater fish are in steep decline due to pressures along their paths, including dams, altered flows, habitat degradation, pollution and unsustainable fishing. Restoring rivers and habitats cannot wait. – UN Environment Programme Some of the longest, most important migrations of species on Earth are happening beneath the surface of the world’s rivers and many are rapidly...

A Pragmatic Approach to Fuel Subsidies and Economic Resilience Amid Global Oil Uncertainty

Lai Cheng March 26, 2026 0 Comments

In view of the current geopolitical situation in the Gulf region, the Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) is urging the government and the public to take a pragmatic approach as it is difficult to determine how long the conflict is going to last and the consequences of it. Malaysia’s broad fuel subsidies are expensive and inefficient as they potentially benefit higher-income groups and...

Unreviewed Food Additives and Malaysia’s Imported Food Risk

Lai Cheng March 25, 2026 0 Comments

The Consumers’ Association of Penang is concerned by a recent analysis by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), which highlights a structural weakness in the United States food regulatory system: more than 100 food-related chemicals entered the market without formal review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the national regulator. These substances were introduced under the...

Author: Lai Cheng