GCC review to benefit consumers

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KUALA LUMPUR: A review of the General Consumer Code of Practice (GCC) for Malaysia’s communications and multimedia industry is crucial to ensure consumer rights are protected optimally and to address the gaps between current consumer-related issues with the existing GCC.

In a statement yesterday, the Communications and Multimedia Consumer Forum of Malaysia (CFM) said the revised code would tighten the guidelines in advertising and sales aspects to avoid misleading consumers.

“Through these clauses, service providers will be more responsible for their sales, marketing and promotional activities,” it said.

The CFM said the new guidelines in the GCC improvements, among others, touched on the time frame for the resolution of complaints being shortened to within three business days for less complex complaints and 15 for complex ones.

It said efforts would be made to ensure that the new code was transparent and engaged all relevant stakeholders.

To this end, consumers will have the opportunity to participate in reviewing the GCC by contributing opinions and feedback during the public consultation process.

“CFM has always collaborated with the industry so that consumers are prioritised and we will continue to monitor the services provided to consumers and address any GCC violations,” said its chairman, Mohamad Yusrizal Yusoff.

The GCC is a code of practice with guidelines and best practices that all communications and multimedia service providers in Malaysia must comply with to ensure that fair and efficient services are provided to consumers.

Meanwhile, CFM said it believed that consumer complaints would be promptly and efficiently managed through the Consumer First Pledge signed by the country’s major telecommunication companies recently.

Through the pledge, it said, service providers would be committed to providing better quality of service and consumer experience, as well as complying with the guidelines in the GCC. — Bernama