Category: Development EN

The inescapable fact is that fuel subsidy will eventually have to be scrapped as it is economically untenable in the long run. The question is when? Our answer is now is the right time as crude oil price is tumbling. The government recently announced that it in mid-2015, it will be implementing a new petrol subsidy rationalization programme as part of its plan to eventually scrap fuel subsidy....

The Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) refers to a media report regarding the ongoing Allianze University College of Medical Sciences (AUCMS) issue. CAP has been dealing with this matter ever since we received complaints from various staff and students of AUCMS, beginning earlier this year. CAP had alerted and had been continuously corresponding with a range of government bodies regarding the...

Recently, the Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) was in a Meeting with Indah Water Consortium (IWK) and the National Water Service Commission (SPAN), where IWK announced its plans to change the current tariff system from the standard monthly rate to a system based on water consumption instead, which will incidentally increase the IWK bills for many consumers. They plan to implement this change...

Thousands of oil palm smallholders in Sarawak are severely impacted by the Malaysian Palm Oil Board’s (MPOB) directive prohibiting traders from purchasing fresh fruit bunches (FFBs) of ‘suspicious’ origins. The directive came into effect since 1 July, 2014. It has come to Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM)’s knowledge that at least in the Baram region of the Miri division of Sarawak, the...

CAP urges the Ministry of Human Resources and relevant authorities to verify a recent revelation of forced labour in the electronics industry in Malaysia. A study by Verité, a non-profit organization found that nearly one in three workers from seven countries surveyed was working in conditions of forced labour. The electrical and electronics industry is the leading sector in Malaysia's...

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....

“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...

The Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) is saddened by the fatal worksite accident that killed 3 Bangladeshi workers at the project site of the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) as a result of a breach of safe work procedure as reported in the Star dated 20th August 2014 “Breach in work procedures”.  CAP has time and again called for an immediate intervention by the Department of Safety and Health...

The Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) is deeply concerned by the shocking process by which the United States of America (USA) squeezes more concessions from other countries it negotiates free trade agreements (FTAs) with, even after the treaty’s text is signed. This was outlined in new research released yesterday at This process of one-sided extraction of concessions is called...

The latest round of Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) negotiations involving Malaysia and 11 other countries including the United States began on 3 July and will continue until 12 July 2014 in Ottawa, Canada. According to news reports, the chapters that will be negotiated there include: investment, services, intellectual property, tariffs on goods and exceptions such as for health...