With the approaching festive season which ends in February next year, shops and stalls are already flooded with a wide range of decorations. Traditional decorations are apparently being overtaken by decorative lights, most of which are flimsy in construction and may cause electric shock and are fire hazards. They are sold in violation of our existing regulations. Therefore, the Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) calls the authorities to put a stop to the sale of these decorative lights.
Decorative lights fall under the 34 categories of household electrical products, classified by the Energy Commission, making it mandatory to obtain a Certificate of Approval (COA). According to the sub-regulation 97(1) of the Electricity Regulations 1994, no person shall manufacture, import, display, sell or advertise these goods without approval from the Commission and shall be guilty of an offense, and shall on conviction be liable to a fine not exceeding five thousand Ringgit (RM5000) or imprisonment for a term not exceeding one (1) year or to both.
Yet according to a survey conducted recently by CAP at several popular shopping centers, none of the decorative lights sold was certified and labeled as such. Originally known as Christmas lights, they now come with unique features to suit the occasion. They go by various names, such as running lights, chasing lights, net lights, and rope lights, depending on the configuration of the lamps and the animation effects they produce.
With such attractive features, decorative lights have become practically indispensable for any celebration. However, consumers are neither aware nor perturbed by the potential danger posed by these products which are made from inferior materials and flimsy design.
CAP calls upon the Energy Commission to stop the import and sale of these items immediately.
Mohideen Abdul Kader
President
Consumers Association of Penang (CAP)
Press Satetement, 9 November 2023