GEORGE TOWN: The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) should ensure that content providers do not “rip off” consumers, said Consumers Association of Penang president S.M. Mohamed Idris.
“The association finds that the MCMC is not effective in protecting consumers who have received unsolicited SMSes on their handphones, goading them into sending activation codes for services they do not need.
“Some messages give the impression there is no payment involved, and many have unwittingly subscribed to services they have no control over, and some of the SMSes can cost as much as RM5 each,” he told a press conference yesterday.
Mohamed Idris said MCMC reasoned that the situation was due to a lack of consumer knowledge on mobile content services and this had led them to unknowingly subscribe to unneeded services.
“These content providers are taking advantage of the consumers’ lack of technical knowledge, and this should be more reason for the MCMC to be strict.
“They should impose the maximum penalty of RM100,000, jail, or both, towards such content providers that breach the mandatory standards for the first offence and termination of licence for the second,” he added.
Mohamed Idris urged the Information Communications and Culture Ministry to review the function of the MCMC since it has been ineffective in protecting consumers.