PETALING JAYA 12 OCTOBER 2022 – While the establishment of the National Scam Response Centre is commendable, the Federation of Malaysian Consumer Associations (FOMCA) believes that more effort has to be done to educate Malaysians about scams and financial literacy.
“There is a need to raise awareness and educate people of all ages about all forms of fraud methods,” said Fomca Secretary-General and CEO, Datuk Paul Selva Raj. “Financial education is especially crucial for young people since they are more prone to accumulate large amounts of debt and spend above their means,” he explained.
During the presentation of Budget 2023, Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz stated that a National Scam Response Centre will be constructed and commence its operation starting this month to overcome the continuous cybercrimes in our country. He also stated that a platform will be built for the public to report any account or phone number that they believe is being utilised by fraudsters.
Meanwhile, Paul suggested that the Jualan Murah Keluarga Malaysia programme, which sells vital commodities and food supplies at lower costs, should be developed to other places as well, including metropolitan areas.
“It is especially vital to cover metropolitan regions, in which their cost of living is high and at the same time their income is also low. People’s budgets would benefit if they could buy raw materials and make their own food,” he stated.
Paul expressed optimism that the funding for the healthcare sector will make the system more accessible and efficient, since it is now overburdened. Tengku Zafrul said that the Health Ministry will get RM36.1 billion in funding next year, up from RM32.4 billion this year.
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