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Created: 07 August 2018

Baru- baru ini, Dewan Rakyat telah meluluskan satu bil ataupun rang undang-undang baru – Bil Perhimpunan Awam (PA 2011) - walaupun ia ditentang dengan sekeras-kerasnya oleh pembangkang, Majlis Peguam, Suruhanjaya Hak Asasi Manusia (SUHAKAM) dan NGO Hak Asasi Manusia.

Rang Undang-Undang ini dikatakan lebih ketat dan menyekat jika dibanding dengan undang-undang semasa.  Terdapat peruntukan di bawah PA 2011 yang mengharamkan perarakan bergerak ataupun “demonstrasi tunjuk perasaan”.

Rang Undang-Undang Perhimpunan Aman 2011 antaranya mengandungi larangan berhimpun kurang dari 50 meter dari hospital, stesen petrol, balai bomba, infrastruktur pengangkutan, rumah ibadat, sekolah dan empangan.

Mengikut larangan seperti di atas, ia sudah pasti bahawa perhimpunan awam tidak boleh diadakan di Bandar raya seperti Kuala Lumpur. Apatah lagi larangan 50 meter dari rumah ibadat?

Adakah ini bermaksud umat Islam tidak boleh berkumpul sebelum atau selepas sembahyang Jumaat mereka? Ataupun, adakah ini bermaksud perarakan beragama yang lain seperti Thaipusam dan perarakan Hari Wesak pun tidak dibenarkan?

Menurut undang-undang yang wujud pada masa ini, Seksyen 27 Akta Polis, sesiapa yang ingin mengadakan perarakan bergerak boleh memohon untuk mendapatkan permit daripada balai polis daerah. Tetapi menurut PA 2011, perarakan bergerak seperti ini diharamkan secara keseluruhan.

Selain itu, rang undang-undang ini juga memberi kuasa yang lebih besar kepada polis berbanding dengan Akta Polis. Menurut rang undang-undang ini, polis boleh menggunakan apa jua kuasa untuk menghentikan perarakan bergerak. Adakah ini bermaksud keganasan polis sepertimana digunakan semasa perarakan Bersih 2.0 akan dibenarkan dan dikatakan berpatutan?

Bukannya suatu rahsia apabila pihak polis sering dikaitkan dengan reputasi menggunakan kekerasan yang melampau apabila menangani perarakan dan sebarang tunjuk perasaan yang dianjurkan oleh NGO dan parti politik yang bertentangan dengan kerajaan pusat. Maka, sebelum rang undang-undang ini diwarta dan diperkuatkuasakan, ERA Consumer Malaysia ingin menyeru agar pihak polis diberikan latihan untuk memudah cara dan mengawasi perarakan dan perhimpunan awam.

Malaysia sedang menuju ke arah status negara maju. Namun, perkataan `maju’ ini tidak harus dihadkan dalam konteks ekonomi, pendapatan dan perkhidmatan sahaja. Ia harus diperluas dan dicernakan melalui perundangan. Sekatan-sekatan yang terdapat dalam PA 2011, tidak langsung mencerminkan undang-undang sebuah negara maju. Malah, ia memberi suatu imej seolah-olah rakyat Malaysia masih belum matang sehinggakan perlunya sebuah undang-undang seperti ini diwujudkan untuk menjaga ‘keamanan’ dan ‘ketenteraman’.

ERA Consumer Malaysia juga percaya dan berpendapat bahawa undang-undang ini tidak wajar diperkuatkuasakan, sebaliknya  rakyat Malaysia dan pihak berkuasa harus dididik dengan etika melakukan perarakan secara aman. Kami percaya bahawa pendidikan dapat membentuk minda dan tingkah laku seseorang manusia yang merdeka.

Ravin Karunanidhi
ERA Consumer Malaysia

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Created: 07 August 2018

Knowing Children adalah suatu organisasi di Malaysia yang bekerja untuk hak kanak-kanak - dengan kanak-kanak (individu di bawah umur 18 tahun) . Pada awal tahun 2011, organisasi kami mula berkerja dengan kanak-kanak Malaysia untuk menyediakan  satu  ‘laporan hak kanak-kanak’. Laporan kanak-kanak ini akan dibentangkan kepada Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (PBB) bersama-sama dengan laporan rasmi Kerajaan Malaysia.

The Mousedeer Group adalah komuniti di Facebook yang ditubuhkan semata-mata untuk kanak-kanak Malaysia yang mempunyai akses kepada Internet agar mereka dapat berinteraksi serta belajar tentang hak kanak-kanak. Ahli-ahli daripada kumpulan ini telah berganding bahu untuk merangka satu ‘online survey’  untuk disebarkan kepada semua kanak-kanak lain  yang mempunyai akses kepada internet.  Dengan ini, kanak-kanak di seluruh Malaysia dapat menyumbang pendapat mereka dan ia dapat digunakan untuk menyediakan laporan kanak-kanak tersebut.

Justeru itu, kami memerlukan pertolongan daripada pihak anda untuk memastikan ‘survey’ ini disebarkan kepada kanak-kanak di seluruh Malaysia. Anda boleh membantu  dengan mengalakkan kanak-kanak yang anda kenal untuk menjawab ‘survey’ ini. Survey ini boleh didapati dalam Bahasa Melayu, Tamil, Cina dan Inggeris bagi keselesaan setiap kanak-kanak.

Survey ini akan dikeluarkan secara berperingkat.  Setiap survey yang baru akan dikeluarkan pada hujung minggu (selama 8 minggu) sehingga 28 April 2012.

Untuk maklumat lanjut mengenai The Mousedeer Group, sila layari laman web  Youtube kami di:

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL37F46BC24EE81D13&feature=plcp

‘Online survey’ boleh didapati di laman blog kami:

http://themousedeergroup.wordpress.com/survey-monkey/

Bantuan pihak anda dalam menyebarkan maklumat mengenai survey ini amat dihargai.  Sokongan anda akan memastikan kanak-kanak Malaysia dapat melaksanakan hak mereka.

Terima Kasih

Shalu Kalimuthu
Communications and Public Relations Officer
Knowing Children
No 31C (Third Floor)
Jalan 52/1 Petaling Jaya 46200
Selangor, Malaysia

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Created: 07 August 2018

José Efraín Ríos Montt, bekas diktator de facto Guatemala yang pernah menjalani latihan di Sekolah Tentera di Amerika Syarikat, sedang berada dalam perbicaraan untuk pembunuhan beramai-ramai (dikenali sebagai genocide).

Istilah pembunuhan beramai-ramai (genocide) yang digunakan mengenang kembali kepada satu filem yang telah ditontoni, ‘Interpreter’, di mana salah satu watak dalam filem itu telah didakwa dengan jenayah terhadap kemanusiaan (‘crimes against humanity’). Namun, Robert Coalson, wartawan Radio Liberty (di Eropah) menyatakan bahawa jenayah terhadap kemanusiaan dan pembunuhan beramai-ramai adalah dua konsep yang berbeza. Jenayah terhadap kemanusiaan lebih menjuru kepada pembunuhan terhadap individu tetapi pada jumlah yang besar. Manakala, pembunuhan beramai-ramai merujuk kepada pemusnahan kumpulan. Erti kata lain, sebilangan besar individu yang membentuk satu kumpulan.

Walaupun kedua-dua jenayah itu berlainan konsep, namun kedua-dua telahpun melanggar hak asasi manusia.

Hak asasi manusia adalah hak sejagat dimana kita semua berhak mendapat hak yang sama, tanpa mengira kewarganegaraan, jantina, agama, budaya, kumpulan etnik dan lain-lain. Hak asasi manusia dan pembangunan lestari mempunyai satu hubungan yang unik di mana ia tidak boleh dipisahkan, bak kata pepatah, ‘air dicincang tidak akan putus’. Menghormati hak asasi manusia telah diiktiraf sebagai prasyarat untuk pembangunan. Sekiranya hak-hak asasi manusia rakyat terancam, iaitu kekurangan akses kepada makanan, kesihatan, pendidikan, tempat tinggal serta kebebasan untuk bersuara, maka hilangnya juga hak rakyat untuk mengambil bahagian dalam pembangunan lestari. Justeru, pembangunan lestari hanya boleh berkembang jika hak asasi manusia dilindungi.

Malangnya, kekurangan pengetahuan dalam keupayaan undang-undang ini sering menafikan hak individu masing-masing. Justeru, setiap individu haruslah sedar akan hak mereka terutamanya apabila hak asasi manusia dan pembangunan lestari berkait rapat. Golongan belia yang kini akan meneruskan perjuangan untuk pembangunan social dan ekonomi yang mengutamakan alam sekitar, budaya, bangsa serta hak asasi manusia haruslah diletakkan di tengah agenda Negara. Tanpa menghormati hak asasi manusia, keupayaan orang ramai untuk maju ke masa depan yang lestari tidak akan berjaya.

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Created: 07 August 2018

The water restructuring exercise between The Federal and Selangor Governments is expected to solve the state’s water related problems.

Federation of Malaysian Consumers Association (FOMCA) deputy president, Mohd Yusof Abdul Rahman said he welcomed the water deal and hope that the projects that were put on hold could resume.

“Previously, a lot of developments projects had to be put on hold because developers could not get approval for water supply for their projects.

“To solve the Klang Valley water woes, the long-delayed water construction of The Langat 2 Water Treatment Plant has to resume soon.”

Yusof said Pengurusan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Air Selangor) should come up with methods to ensure continuous and sufficient clean water supply to the people and reduce non-revenue water.

He said water treatment plants should also be upgraded.

“This to ensure that there is no disruption of clean water supply.”

Yusof said Menteri Besar Azmin Ali needed to reveal the increase in water tariffs.

“He needs to disclose the cost of restructuring.”

Water and Energy Research Malaysia Association president S. Piarapakaran said the success of the water deal depended on how Air Selangor was managed.

He said the outcome would depend on how fast they could improve water treatment services and reduce non-revenue water.

“Improvements will take time and depend on Air Selangor’s management.”

Source : New Straits Time – (10 September 2015, Thursday)

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Created: 07 August 2018

Just recently I read in the news that Johor is buying water from Singapore. I find it funny because I thought Malaysia was the one that should be selling water to Singapore. By reading up a little more, it turned out that the issue was caused by river pollution by an oil palm mill, and it forced water treatment plants in the area to close.

Being in the same region, the amount of average rainfall we get is similar, but with a bigger land area we should be able to ‘catch’ more rain. The major rivers are also in Malaysia, which is why I am puzzled as to why we were pushed to take such an action.

If we think about it the answer is pretty simple - inefficient management of water resources and infrastructure. Even though we have environmental laws in Malaysia, pollution is still rampant. The Johor pollution case was simply one that received more media attention due to the water disruption issue. What about those cases that don’t get so much media attention?

Statistics from the Department of Environment tell us that the percentage of clean rivers in Malaysia dropped by a whole 10 percent from year 2011 to 2014, showing us how serious the rate of pollution has become. All the law and regulations do not seem to be working. It is only when a problem such as this large scale water disruption occurs do we hear about polluters being punished. Almost as if those who pollute at a smaller scale are free of guilt.

We must also take note that pollution is not only caused by factories and agriculture. Recently, it was revealed that an average of 2,200 tonnes of rubbish is caught in our river traps every month. This may caused by some people throwing rubbish into the river directly, or the less know reason of throwing rubbish on the road or into the drains. This means that the things that we throw or pour in our drains eventually end up in the river!
Even if we are lucky to live in a country with enough rainfall, we face water supply problems due to our own negligence.

Nevertheless, I appreciate Singapore’s help to provide us with this basic human right when we need it. I hope that this good relationship between our countries can be maintained. However, I do wish that the Malaysian authorities treat this issue as a wake-up call and make the necessary improvements. Rather than waiting for the problem to happen before taking action, why not put more effort into preventing it?

Nah Kok Wai, Research and Policy Executive,
Forum Air Malaysia.
Source : https://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/350052

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Created: 07 August 2018

A recent topic that was discussed on social media was a certain water filter that could produce “miracle water” and treat 150 chronic illnesses.

One can be forgiven if one is sceptical about this, but apparently, it has been endorsed by a research university and a singer. Forum Air Malaysia, as a consumer association, has received complaints regarding the “miracle water”.

Consumers feel discomfort in their stomach after about a month of drinking the water.

There are also those who died because they stopped taking their medicine due to their trust in this “miracle water”. However, this may be doubtful because the cause of death was not the water.

Are the health claims from these water filter devices legitimate? No credible agency can confirm it, but at the same time, no one is denying these health claims either.

Yet, we have consumers paying up to RM20,000 for one unit of this water filter.

Attempts have been made to engage the authorities.

The Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry will give the licence to sell such products as long as these health claims are not in their advertisements. The Health Ministry does not have regulations for this type of water filter.

This is like a blind spot for regulations, one that companies can exploit.

It is a water filter, but it is said to produce water that is as good as medicine, so, which agency should take the lead on this issue?

We have also engaged one of the agents to learn more about this “miracle water”.

Even if the health claims sound ridiculous, the agents seem convincing because they themselves are convinced that the product they sell is good. Can we really blame agents in this situation?

What we need now is verification of the health claims for these water filters.

We also need the authorities to take action if the health claims are given verbally, online or even in WhatsApp chat groups.

The situation does not give enough protection for consumers, so we urge the authorities to look into this issue

Nah Kok Wai, Research and Policy Executive,
Forum Air Malaysia.
Source : http://www.nst.com.my/news/2016/06/155424/does-miracle-water-claim-hold-water

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Created: 07 August 2018

PETALING JAYA: The Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) revealed that by next year the local e-commerce industry is expected to hit RM13.3 billion.

Its deputy president Mohd Yusof Abdul Rahman said that the positive growth is mainly attributed to the various initiatives and support systems that are widely available to consumers as well as those that are underway.

“However, although the industry’s outlook is relatively positive, consumers on the other hand are exposed to various risks due to the nature of online shopping particularly when the highest complaints that the National Consumer Complaints Centre (NCCC) had received in 2014 and 2015 is mostly on e-commerce or online shopping.

“Most of the complaints revolved around the issue of insufficient disclosure on business terms and conditions like refund policies, product quality, inconsistent return policies, poor customer service, items received does not tally with items purchased, and problems with returning wrongly described or faulty products,” Mohd Yusof said during a press conference today.

To address this, Mohd Yusof said more regulatory and constant enforcement attention as well as changes should be made from time to time in order to keep up with the rapid changes in technology.

“For that, we (Fomca and NCCC) have sent a memorandum to the government last year suggesting certain changes that ought to be made to some of the existing laws in order to safeguard the interest of Malaysia’s e-consumers.

“Some of the suggestions include extending the existing cooling off period of 10 days to 14 days, more awareness programmes informing the public of their rights and having a platform to be established within e-commerce practitioners’ site so that buyers can comment about the product purchased,” he added.

At the same time, Mohd Yusof revealed that to further enhance consumer protection across borders, both Fomca and NCCC have also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Japan’s National Consumer Organisations, National Consumer Affairs Center (NCAC), and Singapore’s Consumer Association (Case).

“With this, consumers and tourists from the participating countries would no longer have any issue finding solutions for any of their purchased products,” he explained.

Source ; http://www.thesundaily.my/news/2194

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Created: 07 August 2018

Bersempena dengan Kempen Konsumer Kebangsaan, Gabungan Persatuan-Persatuan Pengguna Malaysia (FOMCA) telah menganjurkan ”Kem Cabaran-Eko Remaja” pada 4 – 6 Jun 2009. Seramai 40 orang peserta berumur 13 – 14 tahun akan menyertai kem ini.

Matlamat kem ini ialah:

• Untuk menanam nilai-nilai penggunaan berhemat untuk menggalakkan tindakan secara individu dan berkumpulan demi kebaikan diri dan masyarakat.
• Untuk  melahirkan kefahaman bahawa  individu dan masyarakat juga memainkan peranan  penting dalam perubahan sikap ke arah isu-isu penggunaan dan alam sekitar.
• Untuk menggalakkan dan membimbing remaja menjadi pengguna yang bertanggungjawab dan mempunyai ketahanan diri pada masa ini dan masa hadapan.
• Untuk memperkasakan remaja menjadi ejen yang aktif dalam penggunaan lestari dan saksama.

Melalui kem ini, para remaja ini, bukan sahaja dapat mengamalkan gaya hidup yang bersesuaian dan berhemat,  dan juga akan berperanan secara aktif sebagai penganjur dan pendidik dalam membentuk generasi pengguna baru yang bertanggungjawab dan mempunyai daya ketahanan diri.
Hari kedua di kem akan disambut sempena Hari Alam Sekitar Sedunia – 5 Jun 2009.

Hari Alam Sekitar Sedunia adalah prinsip penggerak, yang melaluinya, Pertubuhan Bangsa-bangsa Bersatu menimbulkan kesedaran alam sekitar di seluruh dunia serta mempertingkatkan tindakan dan penglibatan terhadap perubahan alam sekitar.
Perubahan iklim kini disifatkan sebagai suatu cabaran yang hebat pada zaman ini.

Di antara kesan pencemaran dan perubahan iklim yang berlaku ialah:

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Created: 07 August 2018

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Created: 07 August 2018