Category: Safety EN

AI Used to Gather Sound Metadata to Clone Voices Don’t speak a word when you get a silent call. This is exactly what one should do to avoid becoming a victim of the latest AI-generated silent call scam, says the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC). The MCMC had recently posted a 2-minute video on social media to warn Malaysians that AI technology is being used to gather...

Last November 12, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) published a recall notice from supplier Educational Colours regarding play sand products that were found to contain tremolite asbestos, a naturally occurring asbestos. The products are used by children for art and craft activities or sensory play. “The products may cause a risk to health,” the ACCC warned, advising...

Why We Need to Periodically Disconnect from Our Phones A recent study suggests that taking a 3-day break from using a smartphone can help reset the brain of someone addicted to it. Excessive phone use, especially social media and constant notifications, can overstimulate the brain’s reward system, leading to dependency similar to other forms of addiction. This overuse often results in anxiety,...

Malaysia has prohibited the sale and distribution of a popular Thai inhaler after authorities in Thailand issued an urgent recall over microbial contamination. In a statement on 6 November, the Health Ministry said the “Hong Thai Formula 2” inhaler was not registered with Malaysia’s National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA). “The sale and possession of unregistered medicines is an...

The Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) is deeply concerned about the sale of firecrackers in the overcrowded Little India area during the festive season. The area is packed with stalls and canopies, leaving little space and creating a serious fire hazard. Many of these stalls are not properly equipped; they lack fire extinguishers, safe storage, and basic safety measures. A single spark in...

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...

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...

Toxics watchdog group EcoWaste Coalition (EWC) in the Philippines has issued an alert on lipsticks that are heavily contaminated with lead, a neuro and reproductive toxicant, which can have damaging effects on the health of women, as well as children. This follows the issuance of 6 advisories by health authorities there warning the public against the purchase and use of imported Qianxiu...

September 26 is the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, a day for all nations to confront a sobering truth: nuclear weapons are ticking time bombs in our midst, and there are strong reasons to ban them. Nuclear weapons are not just tools of war; they are instruments of annihilation. Designed for mass death, they indiscriminately kill civilians, destroy ecosystems, and...

The Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) urges the Ministry of Housing and Local Government and local authorities to review and regulate the rapid increase in electronic advertising billboards along major roads. These digital billboards, with their highly conspicuous and rapidly changing displays, pose a serious risk of distracting drivers and compromising road safety. Our recent survey in...