SIBU: Awareness and protection of consumer rights in Sarawak has always been a key agenda for the National Consumer Action Council (MTPN) Sarawak.
In an effort to strengthen this commitment, the MTPN Sarawak led by its president, Lucas Lau, together with the MTPN Bintulu chairman, Chiong Ying Ying, and members of the Bintulu committee, recently held a courtesy call and strategic discussions at the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) Bintulu Branch Office.
The main purpose of the visit was to design and formalise various collaborative programmes that will directly benefit consumers in the Bintulu area and throughout Sarawak.
Lau proposed several proactive initiatives that focus on consumer capacity development and more transparent market monitoring.
Among the main focuses of this programme include the joint organisation of a series of seminars and workshops aimed at educating the public on the eight fundamental consumer rights.
Apart from that, this initiative also involves closer cooperation in price monitoring and supply activities for daily necessities to ensure price stability and prevent any market manipulation, in line with government initiatives such as the RAHMAH MADANI Sales Programme.
In his comments, Lau emphasised that MTPN sees consumerism issues not just as an economic transaction issue, but as a human rights issue.
“We at MTPN firmly hold on to the principle that consumer rights are fundamental rights. Every individual is entitled to basic protection such as the Right to Safety, the Right to Clear Information, the Right to Make Choices, and the Right to Be Heard. When these rights are violated or neglected, it directly affects the quality of life of the community and social justice,” he told reporters here on Tuesday (Oct 28).
Therefore, he stressed the importance of synergy between MTPN and government enforcement agencies.
Lau also assured that this collaborative effort will not stop in Bintulu alone.
“I would like to emphasise that this collaboration is just the beginning. MTPN Sarawak is determined to work closely with ALL KPDN branches throughout Sarawak, and more importantly, with other government departments and agencies that have a mandate to safeguard consumer welfare.
“The combination of MTPN’s energy and expertise with government departments is the key to building an effective, comprehensive, and continuous consumer regulatory and protection mechanism in every corner of the state.”
This emphasis on cross-agency collaboration is critical for MTPN in ensuring that each of the eight consumer rights covering aspects of safety, information, choice, being heard, redress, consumer education, a healthy environment, and meeting basic needs are always maintained.
“MTPN Sarawak believes that only through strong and strategic working relationships with all stakeholders, including KPDN and other agencies, can the goal of creating a fair, transparent, and sustainable market environment for all consumers in Sarawak be achieved.”
