Lai Cheng – Page 32 – Consumers Association Penang

Celebrate a Plastic-Free Deepavali

Lai Cheng October 17, 2025 0 Comments

The Consumers' Association of Penang (CAP) urges Hindus who are celebrating Deepavali to make this year's Deepavali a plastic-free occasion. Plastics are a scourge on the world. Plastic pollution is one of the most pervasive and insidious threats to our environment and public health. Deepavali celebrates the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. In today's era, the challenge is to...

HOW JAPANESE SCHOOLS PREPARE CHILDREN FOR LIFE

Lai Cheng October 17, 2025 0 Comments

In Japan, schools approach education differently by focusing first on character and social development. The idea is to help children grow into respectful and responsible individuals. During the first 3 years, students learn the importance of empathy, respect, cooperation, and discipline. Schooling during this time focuses less on academics and more on social responsibility and moral development....

NATURE’S RESILIENCE

Lai Cheng October 15, 2025 0 Comments

Flowers Bloom in World’s Driest Desert It sounds unlikely, but it’s true – flowers have bloomed across Chile’s Atacama Desert, one of the driest places on Earth. This rare event is called desierto florido, or “flowering desert”. It usually happens when unexpected rainfall follows long dry spells, often linked to El Niño weather patterns. The Atacama gets less than 15 mm of rain per...

CAP Welcomes Consumer-Friendly Budget 2026 Measures

Lai Cheng October 15, 2025 0 Comments

The Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) applauds several consumer-focused measures announced on 10 October 2025 in the 2026 Budget, including the long-awaited Lemon Law and the proposed Anti-Bullying Bill. The Ministry of Education (MoE) should expedite the drafting of new amendments to the Education Regulations (Student Discipline) under the Education Act 1996, as the number of reported...

CAP Demands Urgent Action on Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities (PWD)

Lai Cheng October 14, 2025 0 Comments

The Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) calls on the Ministry of Housing and Local Government to urgently improve accessibility in public buildings and government premises. A recent CAP survey has revealed alarming gaps in basic facilities for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), effectively denying them equal rights to access public services. Findings from our survey include: 1. Tuanku Syed...

WE MAY BE THE LAST GENERATION TO SEE FIREFLIES

Lai Cheng October 13, 2025 0 Comments

In recent years, many people have noticed that fireflies are becoming harder to spot. These beautiful insects light up the night sky with their glowing bodies, but their numbers are decreasing fast. This decline is mainly due to changes in the environment, like pollution, loss of natural habitats, and the use of chemicals in farming. As we continue to change our world, we may be the last...

CAP’s Comments on BUDGET 2026

Lai Cheng October 10, 2025 0 Comments

The Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) lauds some of the measures outlined in the National Budget 2026 but is at the same time disappointed that the government is not taking more effective measures to protect the nation’s health and the environment. CAP welcomes the introduction of the Lemon Law through the amendments to the Consumer Protection Act. CAP has been actively campaigning for a...

How Global Warming Affects Coral Reefs

Lai Cheng October 9, 2025 0 Comments

Human-made global warming has a big effect on the ocean. Rising temperatures put marine life and coastal ecosystems at risk of irreversible loss. Today, widespread changes have been observed, including damage to coral reefs and mangroves that support ocean life, and migration of species to higher altitudes and altitudes where the water could be cooler. Loss of marine biodiversity is another...

Groups Deplore Sale of Banned Medicinal Patch Containing High Levels of Lead and Mercury

Lai Cheng October 7, 2025 0 Comments

7 October 2025: Penang, Malaysia/Quezon City, Philippines. Malaysian and Filipino civil society groups advocating for consumer and environmental health deplored the online sale of a traditional Chinese skin patch to relieve swelling and pain that has been analysed to contain elevated levels of heavy metals such as lead and mercury. In a joint press release, the Consumers’ Association of...

URBAN RENEWAL ACT: You Can’t Bulldoze Your Way to Better Cities

Lai Cheng October 6, 2025 0 Comments

The draft Urban Renewal Act, promoted by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT), has sparked a crucial debate about the future of Malaysia’s cities. While the intention to rejuvenate aging urban areas is commendable, the bill’s approach is a flawed fix. It focuses on the symptom – old, poorly managed buildings - while ignoring the disease: a broken system of urban planning and...

Author: Lai Cheng