KAWAL NAFSU BELANJA, ELAK SENGSARA LEPAS RAYA

22 julai 2014

Oleh Sakini Mohd Said

KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama) -- Perabotnya masih lagi elok, warna tidak ada tanda-tanda hendak pudar manakala struktur fizikalnya nampak kukuh. Begitu juga dengan langsir di ruang tamu rumah teres dua tingkat ini.

Pendek kata, semuanya masih boleh dan selamat untuk digunakan dan tidak buruk ataupun lusuh.

"Abang, kita tukar sahajalah set sofa rumah ini. Mana ada lagi orang pakai sofa macam ini. Nanti malu kepada tetamu dan rakan yang datang", rungut Sofia.

Bagaimanapun, permintaannya tidak mendapat respons positif daripada si suami yang mempertikaikan tempat istirehat itu masih lagi cantik dan tidak pun menunjukkan tanda-tanda akan rosak.

Bengang reaksi diberikan menyebabkan Sofia mula ligat mencari helah, yang mana ini antara sedutan sketsa berkisar 'boros perbelanjaan menjelang Aidilfitri' yang ditayangkan di televisyen baru-baru ini.

Bagaikan mengalami sindrom perayaan, hakikatnya cerita Sofia ini adalah antara realiti kehidupan masyarakat hari ini yang begitu meriah berbelanja setiap kali menjelang perayaan.

Walhal, tanpa mereka sedari atau sengaja tidak mengendahkannya sikap ini boleh mengundang padah!

PELBAGAI PROMOSI

Tidak dinafikan, ketika ini pelbagai promosi menarik ditawarkan oleh pusat membeli-belah memenuhi setiap sudut kota dan luar bandar.

Bagaikan tidak mencukupi, ada pula kewujudan peniaga bazar sementara yang menjual pelbagai barangan seperti alas meja, pakaian tradisional, kuih raya, sekali gus menambahkan lagi kemeriahan menyambut Aidilfitri.

Sama ada mempunyai lesen ataupun sebaliknya, masing-masing begitu rancak bermain strategi dan gimik untuk melariskan barangan yang dijual.

Tidak hanya bergantung kepada potongan harga runtuh serta dendangan lagu raya, aksi-aksi mencuit hati turut menjadi pilihan peniaga untuk menarik pelanggan, ditambah pula menjelang akhirnya Ramadan ini.

Slogan-slogan seperti beli dahulu bayar kemudian, promosi dalam talian juga membuatkan ramai mula rambang mata dan mula berbelanja, hingga ada melangkaui kemampuan sendiri.

"Apabila ingin menyambut Aidilfitri atau apa-apa sahaja perayaan, masyarakat akan membuat persiapan bagi menyambutnya dengan meriah. Mereka akan membeli pakaian baharu, menukar peralatan dan perabot rumah.

"Terdapat sebahagian masyarakat tidak mengamalkan perbelanjaan berhemat. Akibatnya, ramai menghadapi masalah kehabisan wang selepas Hari Raya Aidilfitri", kata Pengarah Komunikasi Persekutuan Pengguna Malaysia (Fomca) Mohd Yusof Abdul Rahman.

HABIS DULU, FIKIR KEMUDIAN

Bagi sesetengah mereka beranggapan 'raya hanyalah setahun sekali', jadi apalah salahnya untuk berbelanja lebih.

Ditambah pula dengan bonus yang sudah ada di tangan dan gaji dimasukkan lebih awal bagi meringankan persiapan raya, membuatkan ada yang tersilap langkah dek keseronokan berbelanja menguasai diri.

Mereka bukan hanya menghabiskan pendapatan semasa diterima, malahan kad kredit juga menjadi pilihan sebagai opsyen pembayaran pada musim perayaan ini.

Walhal, penggunaan yang tidak berdisiplin semata-mata untuk memenuhi keinginan diri boleh memerangkap mereka kepada keberhutangan yang serius.

"Kemudahan berbelanja tanpa menggunakan tunai seperti kad kredit, bayaran mudah membeli perabot atau peralatan elektrik menyebabkan seseorang itu berbelanja melebihi pendapatan.

"Sekiranya mereka dapat menguruskan hutang itu dengan baik, tidak menjadi masalah. Tetapi, bagaimana pula sekiranya gagal? Justeru, lebih baik penggunaan kad debit", tegas Mohd Yusof kepada Bernama.

Jika gagal melunaskan hutang kad kredit selain pendapatan semasa diterima habis, akibatnya mereka bukan sahaja perlu ikat perut dan berpuasa selepas seminggu raya.

Bahkan, ada yang tidak mampu untuk menjelaskan ansuran bulanan rumah, kereta, perbelanjaan keluarga dan pelbagai bil lain.

BERHUTANG?

Paling membimbangkan, apabila terdapatnya trend untuk berhutang dengan ah long disebabkan kad kredit tidak cukup. Perkembangan ini adalah satu senario tidak sihat, kerana telah banyak kali laporan media mengenainya didedahkan.

Tetapi, mereka (segelintir) bagaikan tidak takut dan tidak ambil peduli, belajar daripada mangsa sebelum ini.

"Saya pernah dimaklumkan terdapat ramai orang datang ke syarikat peminjam wang tidak berlesen untuk mendapatkan bantuan kewangan. Malah, syarikat itu tidak menang tangan melayan pelanggan yang datang.

"Ini menunjukkan ramai orang menghadapi masalah kewangan sebagai persiapan menyambut perayaan", katanya.

Semua ini, merungkai kepada persoalan perlukah berbelanja boros sehingga berhutang keliling-pinggang, menggadaikan nyawa sendiri hanya semata-mata menyambut perayaan?

Berbaloikah untuk merasai kenikmatan sementara disebabkan ingin bergaya kereta baharu, telefon baharu sedangkan ia di luar kemampuan sehingga perlu ikat perut?

Persoalan dan senario ini perlu diambil perhatian serius, ujar Mohd Yusof. Berdasarkan kajian yang pernah dijalankan FOMCA, menunjukkan 37 peratus pekerja muda berbelanja di luar tahap kemampuan masing-masing.

Manakala, 47 peratus responden menggunakan 30 peratus daripada pendapatan mereka untuk membayar hutang.

HUTANG DAN MUFLIS

Sikap suka berhutang ini, boleh menjurus mereka kepada muflis.

Data Jabatan Insolvensi Malaysia menunjukkan bahawa 23,397 individu yang diisytiharkan muflis sepanjang tahun 2007 sehingga September 2013 adalah dalam lingkungan umur 25 hingga 34 tahun.

Lebih membimbangkan, apabila ada antara mereka yang belum lagi genap mencapai usia 25 tahun, tetapi berada dalam kemelut kebankrapan.

"Kesedaran masyarakat tentang pengurusan kewangan masih rendah. Ini kerana, pendidikan kewangan pengguna kurang diterapkan dalam pendidikan sekolah.

"Cuma, sejak beberapa tahun kebelakangan ini timbul usaha pelbagai pihak mengadakan program pendidikan pengurusan kewangan. Hal ini timbul, apabila Jabatan Insolvensi Malaysia melaporkan terdapat 61 orang diisytiharkan muflis setiap hari", katanya.

Kurang pengetahuan itu membuatkan ramai yang gagal membuat perancangan ataupun bajet untuk menghadapi perayaan.

Menurut Ketua Cawangan Agensi Kaunseling dan Pengurusan Kredit Johor Baharu, Mohd Nasir Mustafa, agak menyedihkan apabila ada antaranya tidak tahu apa yang dimaksudkan 'bajet'.

Sedangkan, bajet atau perancangan musim perayaan ini sangat mudah untuk dibuat dan dilaksanakan kerana hanya berlaku setahun sekali dan ada masa untuk membuat persediaan menyimpan.

SEDIA MEMBANTU

Bagi menanganinya, Agensi Kaunseling dan Pengurusan Kredit (AKPK) sedia membantu orang ramai menjadi pengguna bijak.

Pelbagai program dianjurkan selaras dengan peranannya membantu individu menguasai situasi kewangan mereka dan mencapai ketenangan minda hasil daripada penggunaan kredit secara bijak.

Antaranya program Power, yang khusus kepada golongan muda, pengurusan kewangan peribadi dan kaunseling turut disediakan.

"Tidak salah berbelanja tetapi haruslah mengikut kemampuan masing-masing. Cuba elakkan daripada terpengaruh dengan persekitaran.

"Sekurang-kurangnya, kita perlu memperuntukkan 10 peratus daripada gaji untuk menyimpan bagi menghadapi saat kecemasan", katanya.

-- BERNAMA

AVOID POST-RAYA DEBT, SPEND WISELY

 

22 July 2014

By Sakini Mohd Said

KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama) -- Her furniture was in good condition - its colours still bright and its structure still solid. The curtains in the two-storey house still look like new, too.

In fact, everything looked fine. Nothing was old, ruined, or faded.

"Abang, let's just change our sofa set. The design is outdated. I am embarrassed to let our guests see it", Sofia complained.

Her irrational request was undoubtedly met with her husband's disapproval. An annoyed Sofia tried to come up with other excuses to buy new furniture.

This is the short sketch on wastefulness when spending for Hari Raya, which was aired on television recently.

Although it was meant to be humorous, Sofia's story is all too familiar in today's society. Many believe that it is alright to spend freely in celebrating upcoming festivals. Few realise how detrimental such wastefulness can be.

DISCOUNTS AND GIMMICKS

It cannot be denied shopping centres too tend to take advantage of upcoming holidays and festivals by offering incentives to consumers so that they spend big.

Those on a different budget have the option of visiting the numerous bazaars set up during Ramadan selling items like tablecloth, traditional clothes and "kuih raya" (cookies).

These traders are simply competing with each other in the bid to push up sales.

Some place hefty discounts, others put on "raya" songs to get visitors in the buying mood, while others resort to other gimmicks.

Taglines like "buy now, pay later!" and online promotions can prompt many to make hasty decisions and spend beyond their means.

"Malaysians tend to celebrate Aidilfitri or other festivals on a grand scale. They would buy new clothes, change their furniture and other items.

"Some go overboard with the spending and find themselves in a financial quagmire after Aidilfitri", said Mohd Yusof Abdul Rahman, the communications director of the Federation of Malaysian Consumer Associations (Fomca).

SPEND FIRST, THINK LATER

The typical mentality among these big spenders is that "raya only comes once a year", so why not spend a bit more.

Those with poor budget management sometimes fail to maximise the benefit of the early disbursement of salary and the additional raya bonus.

They will spend to their last ringgit, and continue their shopping frenzy with credit cards, without sparing a thought to the possibility of running a serious debt.

"People tend to overspend when they don't pay by cash.

"It would not be a problem if they can manage their debts well. But what if they fail? Thus would it be better to use cash or debit card", asked Mohd Yusof.

Failing to settle credit card debts does not only mean that they may have to tighten their belts by the end of the month. It could also mean that they will not be able to pay for their house and car installments, utility bills and other recurring monthly expenditure.

IN DEBT?

More worrying is the trend to borrow from "ah longs" (loan sharks) because they have exceeded their credit card limits. This is an unhealthy development that can lead to serious consequences, as often highlighted in the media.

"I have been told that an overwhelming number of people go to unlicensed money lenders prior to the festive season.

"This shows that people are running themselves into a debt in preparing for the celebration", he said.

This begs the question whether taking such risks in the name of celebrating a festival are all that necessary.

Is it worth it to borrow money to spend on a new car or a new phone for Hari Raya, at the risk of losing one's life to moneylending thugs?

Mohd Yusof said a survey by Fomca revealed that 37 per cent of young people spend outside their means.

Meanwhile, 47 per cent of respondents use 30 per cent of their earnings to repay loans.

BANKRUPTCY

Those who like to pile on debts may soon find themselves on the brink of bankruptcy.

The Malaysia Department of Insolvency showed that 23,397 people who were declared bankrupt from 2007 to September 2013 were between 25 to 34 years old.

Even more worrisome is that there are those who have yet to reach 25 years old, but are already bankrupt.

"Societal awareness on financial management is still low. This is because it is hardly impressed upon in school.

"It is only in the recent years that there have been programmes on financial management education. This came about after the Insolvency Department reported that 61 people are declared bankrupt everyday", he said.

Meanwhile, the Credit Counselling and Debt Management Agency (AKPK) Head for Johor Bahru, Mohd Nasir Mustafa said the worse thing was that some of them did not even know what a budget meant.

This is despite how easy it is to budget for the festive season, considering it only occurred once a year, with ample time to save for the celebration.

READY TO HELP

To address this problem, AKPK is ready to help the public become smart consumers.

The agency launched many programmes to help individuals take charge of their financial situation and gain peace of mind due to wise credit management.

Among them is the Power programme, aimed at helping the young manage their personal finances as well as provide counselling services for them.

"It is not wrong to spend, as long as it is within one's means. Try not to succumb to the temptation.

"We need to allocate at least 10 per cent of our salary for savings and emergencies", he said.

-- BERNAMA

SOARING CHICKEN PRICES-CHICKEN OR EGG DILEMMA

 

23 July 2013

A Special Report By Melati Mohd Ariff

KUALA LUMPUR, July 22 (Bernama) -- Every year, during Ramadan, consumers have to pay more for essential items such as sugar, cooking oil, and even chicken!

This Ramadan, for the first time after many years, the cost of sugar and cooking oil has remained stable. However, the price of chicken has shot up to between RM9 and RM10 per kilogramme, from an average of RM7-RM8!

As usual, consumers are both victims and part of the problem, and the matter is made worse by their indifferent attitude. Despite an increase in the price of chicken, consumers continue to prepare dishes that contain chicken meat.

Every year, the government intervenes to rectify the situation, and this year, the Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry issued additional import licences to 34 companies to source chicken from China, Thailand, Australia, and the European Union (EU).

The government has listed chicken as one of the 20 price controlled items for the 2013 Hari Raya festive period. The government is planning to set the price of chicken at RM7.70 per kilogramme for standard chicken and RM8.50 per kilogramme for dressed/super dressed chicken from July 27 to Aug 26.

A RECURRING HEADACHE

Every year, this problem recurs during festive periods, and there seems to be no solution in sight. Those who try to analyse the situation will have a tough time identifying the culprits behind the price hike - the industry, government, or consumers themselves.

"Based on the analysis, including statements issued by the Federation of Livestock Farmers' Associations of Malaysia, the huge demand for chicken meat had pushed up the price.

"If this is the reason, consumers should consume less chicken meat to reduce the demand.

"Logically, this should help bring down the price," opined Mohd Yusof Abdul Rahman, Director of Communication at the Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (FOMCA).

NOTHING BUT EXCUSES

Nonetheless, for a seasoned observer, the supply-demand excuse is akin to the chicken or egg dilemma, with poultry industry players having the liberty to decide the demand and supply of poultry.

According to Mohd Yusof, another common excuse provided by livestock breeders is that the feed and medication costs have increased.

"Don't tell me that the cost goes up during festive seasons, which is why they have to increase the price of chicken meat.

He was also surprised to note that chicken feed and medication have to be imported.

Mohd Yusof is also all too familiar with breeders' 'explanation' that imported feed helps broiler chickens to grow faster.

"Now, don't tell me that local companies cannot come up with broiler chicken feed that is on par with imported feed?

"If the broiler chicken industry is profitable, I am sure there are local entrepreneurs capitalising on this industry by coming up with chicken feed that is acceptable to the industry.

"The problem here is that breeders have to decide whether to source the feed from within or depend on imports?" noted Mohd Yusof.

THERE IS A NEED TO CONTROL

According to consumer activists who are linked to Bernama, chicken meat was once a controlled item, with the price being controlled by the government.

Nonetheless, due to the intense lobbying by the industry, the government retracted the price cap.

Ever since, he said, the price of chicken meat is being decided by market forces, with industry players having most of the control.

It is only in the event of exceptional circumstances such as the bird flu episode sometime back when industry players have no control over the price of chicken meat. During the bird flu season, the demand for chicken meat reduced drastically, and industry players could not do anything to increase the demand.

"But when the demand for chicken meat returned to normal, the price was set at the maximum level to recoup previous losses," explained Mohd Yusof, as he spoke about strategies employed by poultry industry players.

SUPPLY PROBLEMS Yet, Ramadan and other festive periods return every year, resulting in an increase in the demand for chicken meat and other essential items.

According to Mohd Yusof, there can never be a shortage of chicken meat as industry players anticipate the demand in advance.

"The underlying issue here is not the inadequate supply of chicken, unlike fish, where the supply is genuinely down during the wet season.

"The real problem here is that some parties capitalise on the increased demand to make more money," he noted.

As stressed by Mohd Yusof, since industry players are able to decide the supply and price of chicken meat, they act as the regulators of the industry.

"If they want to increase the price of chicken meat, they can reduce the supply too.

"There was a time when industry players wanted to burn chicks alive to overcome an over-supply of chicken meat. They can easily manipulate the market price by increasing the ex-farm cost," he said.

ENFORCEMENT

"We can address this problem by creating a business environment where there is healthy competition among local and foreign industry players, provided imported poultry is cheaper than local poultry. This will create competition for local poultry, which is deemed costly by local industry players," added Mohd Yusof.

Output can be increased by involving more parties. According to him, a Government Linked Company (GLC) can look into poultry breeding, with marketing of products undertaken by the Federal Agricultural marketing Authority (FAMA).

This may help to keep the price of poultry stable.

"If there is no end in sight for this problem, and if consumers are not able to change their intake of chicken meat, then chicken meat would have to be categorised as a price control item to prevent the price from being manipulated," explained Mohd Yusof.

REGULATIONS

Mohd Yusof also made reference to the Price Control and Anti Profiteering Act 2011 that came into effect in April 2011 to punish unscrupulous parties - breeders, wholesalers, and retailers - who take advantage of the demand for chicken meat for quick profits.

Consumers can report errant traders who sell chicken meat at exorbitant prices to the enforcement unit of the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs. This way, consumers will have some control over the price of chicken meat.

"It is not necessary to eat chicken meat every day; consuming chicken meat twice a week should be sufficient. If all of us can do this, we will be able to control the supply and price of chicken meat," said Mohd Yusof.

-- BERNAMA