SLA to help protect consumer rights

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KOTA KINABALU: The Consumers Front of Sabah (Cfos) and Sabah Law Association (SLA) have pledged to work together to help protect consumer rights in the state.

Acknowledging the many weaknesses, including outdated laws and regulations on consumerism issues in the country, particularly in Sabah, Cfos president Nordin Thani said the two organizations agreed to work out a draft for the introduction of new laws and amendments to the Consumers Protection Act.

The focus will be on strengthening the power and protection of consumers, including retailers, against unethical practices of manufacturers, he said in a statement yesterday after leading senior officials from Cfos in a courtesy call on SLA president Gaanesh Nandy and other SLA exco members here.

Focusing on daily basic issues, Cfos and SLA will sit together to discuss changes and improvements in existing laws, while SLA will advise and draft the bill for approval from the government.

“Most importantly, we are going to work on drafting and introducing the Unfair Trading Bill too which will cover all aspects of consumerism issues because the existing law now does not wholly protect the consumers such as the Money Lenders Act.

He said the Unfair Trading Bill draft will hopefully be passed by the government, as it is high time that our people get proper protection against traders.

On other issues, both NGOs agreed that more needs to be done in educating the consumers about their basic rights, focusing more on low income group or people from rural areas.

He said the rural folks still lack consumerism awareness and are often cornered by unethical traders, for instance, not getting any refunds or price reduction on products that have almost expired.

Cfos members, he said, will hold awareness programmes and free talks at schools in rural areas like Beaufort, Keningau and Lahad Datu, starting the end of this year, and will also carry out the activities in villages.

During the courtesy call recently, SLA exco members explained and clarified their planned contribution for the people of Sabah.

Members of the public can come to the SLA office at the Hainan Association Building from 9am to 12noon every Saturday except on first Saturday of every month for free legal advice and limited services.

On bogus lawyers, Nordin said Cfos and members of public can always check with SLA to avoid being cheated.

“The meeting is a fresh start for both groups for no consumers association in Sabah has ever worked together with SLA. The people can hope for a big change for the better of consumers in the near future,” he said.

“Cfos is very thankful to SLA for viewing the consumerism problems in the state as a serious matter and for being willing to help and work together with Cfos,” he added.

Also present during the meeting were Cfos deputy president II Francis Daniel, secretary general Hashima Hasbullah Yahya and committee members Mohd Hashim Tahir, Akian bin Ah Kiew, Sylvester Lawrence Majawat and Nurajis Saudi, SLA representatives Ahmad Rahman (Consumerism Committee chairman), Roger Chin (secretary), Zakaria Ahmad and Nazir (chief of legal aid).