Category: Development EN

Internet is an essential utility in this information age. How can Malaysia aspire to achieve developed status when our broadband Internet speeds seem to be grinding to a halt half the time? In Georgetown, Penang, from 27 April to 6 May, Streamyx was running around 5% of the advertised speed. For the 4Mbps package the speed dropped to around 100 to 200 Kbps and for the IMbps package the speed...

In the current negotiations of the Trans Pacific Partnership  (TPP) Agreement involving Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, United States and Vietnam, the USA has made proposals in the Electronic Commerce chapter. The next round of TPP negotiations where this is likely to be discussed starts on 12 May, 2014 in Vietnam. Since the negotiations...

Obama’s visit did not give any new assurance that Malaysia’s demands will be met CAP is concerned that despite the lack of any signs that the United States of America is able to guarantee it can stand by any deal made in the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA), the negotiations on the TPPA are going full steam ahead these next two weeks. CAP understands that there will be a meeting of...

CAP calls for Malaysia to withdraw from the TPPA As President Obama arrives in Malaysia tomorrow (26 April), the Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) reiterates our call on the Prime Minister not to make any concessions on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) being negotiated between Malaysia, the USA and 10 other countries. This is imperative. The International Trade and Industry...

CAP urges the Fisheries Department of Kedah and the Maritime Enforcement Agency of Malaysia to investigate and take immediate action to resolve the problem caused by pukat siput boats that is threatening the livelihood of coastal fishers in Yan.  The income of more than 300 coastal fishers has been severely affected due to this problem. The fishers operating the pukat siput boats conduct their...

CAP Disappointed That Affected Coastal Fisherfolk Face Difficulty Getting Compensation CAP recommends that the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry provides special provisions to assist coastal fishers who suffer losses due to damage of fishing gears run over by trawler vessels. Immediate action should be taken by the Ministry as the problem which has been long endured by coastal...

Residents in Marudi are fuming over the appalling ferry services provided by a private contractor. Since 2005, Marudi residents and those who regularly travel on land to Marudi have had to settle for poor ferry services and pay exorbitant rates for a mere 2 minute crossing over two rivers. There is 1 ferry each that ply between Sungai Baram (Baram River) and Sungai Bakong (Bakong River). Those...

The Consumers Association of Penang strongly calls on International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed not to accept compromises at the ongoing ministerial meeting on the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA). Trade ministers from the participating 12 countries are meeting in Singapore from today for 4 days to complete as much as they can. Such haste makes nonsense of...

The Consumers’ Association of Penang’s analysis shows that the costs of the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) will far outweigh the benefits and thus we urge the Malaysian government not to sign the TPPA. We presume that the Malaysian government when considering whether to sign the TPPA currently being negotiated by Malaysia with 11 other countries will consider the tariffs avoided...