Competent e-aduan system needed, says KPDN

ISKANDAR PUTERI: The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) sees the need to create a more sophisticated and competent e-aduan system to facilitate members of the public to channel complaints or suggestions.

Its minister Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub said the move was to provide convenience to consumers and speed up the action by KPDN.

"For example, when I made a surprise visit to the Johor KPDN office today, I met a consumer who came from Kluang just to lodge a complaint to the Consumer Tribunal. They should not have to travel the distance just to make a complaint," he told a press conference in Bangunan Sultan Ismail, Kota Iskandar here today.

"I will first discuss with the ministry to see the expertise available. There are many advanced applications these days that we can adopt for the convenience of consumers," he said.

The Pulai Member of Parliament said complaints received from the public need to be dealt with immediately to protect consumer rights.

Meanwhile, Salahuddin who is also Simpang Jeram assemblyman said he would increase the frequency of surprise visits, including to rural areas, to survey the supply and price of eggs and subsidised cooking oil packets in the market.

Commenting on the meeting with the Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, Salahuddin said the Sultan decreed that the four cabinet ministers from Johor could play a role to improve the image, economy and socio-politics in Johor.

"It was a heart-to-heart discussion and there was also mention of the role of the ministry that I lead and the rest was political issues. I did not expect the meeting to be so casual yet the Sultan of Johor was very focused and serious about discussing people's issues," he said.

In other developments, Salahuddin who is also the Chairman of PH Johor said that Stulang assemblyman Andrew Chen Kah Eng has been appointed as the new Johor Opposition Leader to replace Perling assemblyman Liew Chin Tong who has been appointed as Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry.

"The appointment has been informed to the Speaker of the Johor State Legislative Assembly Datuk Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi today. The Johor PH is grateful for the excellent service provided by Liew who is also the Johor DAP Chairman while serving as the Opposition leader after the last Johor State Election," he said.

-- BERNAMA