Unregulated capitalism allows for profiteering led to public brawl

Ministry of Domestic Trade, Co-Operatives, and Consumerism (KPDNKK) Secretary-General, Alias Ahmad showing dissatisfaction towards the authority for not taking action in Kota Raya cheating incident.

Mobile phone shops situated at Kota Raya shopping complex opposite Chinatown in Kuala Lumpur remained closed following a recent public brawl where a group of youngsters stormed one particular shop and attack its employees.

Ownership of a couple mobile phone outlets at the Kota Raya Complex switched hands recently following the incident where Persatuan Pengguna Islam Malaysia (PPIM), a consumer-rights non-governmental organisation (NGO), raided the mall. A notice stated that buyers with disputes should liaise with the previous operators from whom they had bought the mobile phones, however, no contact details of the old owners were posted. A staff at one of the shops confirmed that the notice was placed today, but was unaware of who the old or new owners were and had no contact with either.

Ministry of Domestic Trade, Co-Operatives, and Consumerism (KPDNKK) Secretary-General, Alias Ahmad, shown discontent on why no action was taken by the authorities. Alias clarified that the victim had lodged a report with the Tribunal for Consumer Claims in Kuala Lumpur and the Tribunal had instructed the mobile phone shop to refund the sale, however he was shocked knowingly that the victim had returned the next day only to complain that the authorities were uncooperative and refused to take action. Alias also mentioned that KPDNKK had raided mobile phone stores in Kota Raya Complex this year and seized counterfeit devices and accessories totaling RM9,037.

Dang Wangi deputy police chief Supt Habibi Majinji explaining to public on Kota Raya Complex incident

Two people were injured at the Kota Raya Complex after a brawl broke out between workers at a mobile phone shop and about 20 people claiming to have been scammed by the shop. Police have arrested a suspect in connection with a brawl that broke out between workers at a mobile phone shop in the Kota Raya shopping complex and a group claiming to have been scammed by them.

Dang Wangi deputy police chief Supt Habibi Majinji stated that the 38 year old man was arrested at the scene of the crime as soon as the riot was brought under control. The suspect works as the parking attendant at the shopping complex and was suspected as part of the group which assaulted the retail workers.

Supt Habibi mentioned that the police are investigating whether the suspect was one of the individuals allegedly swindled by the traders. He also stated that the images of the suspects would be published in due time.

The case is probed under Section 148 of the Penal Code for rioting with weapons and Section 394 of the Penal Code for voluntarily causing injury while committing robbery.

In Malaysia Critiques opinion, by looking at the sections of the probe, it looks like police is committing a double standard probe whereby only the rioters gets probed while the presumed cheaters who caused the riot was left unchecked.

Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry enforcement director Mohd Roslan Mahyudin rubbishing traders claim that their goods were cheap.

Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry enforcement director Mohd Roslan Mahyudin stated that some traders in the Kota Raya shopping complex in Kuala Lumpur perform business transactions in an unusual way.

"They say their mobile phones and the accompanying gadgets are cheap but when customers go to buy them, they will say the customers have to pay more for the software and other things. You don’t buy the phone and its software separately. They come together," he said in The Star Online report.

Malaysia Critique sees this as a hidden charge where the goods sold may look cheap but the actual total price is more expensive.

Roslan also mentioned that the traders who sells counterfeit goods are hard to detect as they would only display dummy goods to avoid having their product being confiscated. The enforcement director stated that KPDNKK had done 92 raids on stores nationwide this year and had confiscated around RM600,000 worth of imitation mobile phones.

Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob acknowledging public not to presume Kota Raya incident as a racial clash

Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the handphone clash was the result of a dissatisfaction problem on transaction between buyers and sellers. "This is an isolated case. The customers were dissatisfied and they returned to the shopping complex to meet the seller," said the minister. He also advised business owners should be more ethical in conducting business following a professionalism code of ethics.

The statement by Ismail Sabri was announced at Anggerik Mall, Shah Alam which would be estimated to be the next MARA Digital location.

Prime Minister Dato Seri Najib Razak raging at public for taking the laws into their own hands

Prime Minister Dato Seri Najib Razak advices the public to report to the relevant authorities should there be any case of fraud or cheating for action to be taken.

“If any case of business cheating or fraudulent transaction, report to the authorities for investigation and necessary action taken”. ”Don’t take the law into your own hands” said the prime minister in a post on his official facebook page.

“I see as a serious matter the brawl at Kota Raya Kompleks which created public disharmony” stated by Najib as reported by Malaysian Insider while Minister in Prime Minister Department Tan Sri Joseph Kurup sees the brawl as a racial issue. Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob however had rubbished the racial brawl statement given Joseph Kurup.

Since BN, PKR, and DAP are all fighting for consumer rights, they should all sit together and find a feasible resolution to this issue with unregulated capitalism as it would benefit everyone. Consumer rights should be taken seriously as similar event had happened at LowYat Plaza just recently due to similar reason which is lack of consumer rights. They should definitely show an act of professionalism as there is absolutely no point in fighting each other when your fighting for a similar cause. Didn't Najib proposed a unity government back right after GE13? No reason government and opposition couldn't work together.