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Category: LETTER TO EDITOR
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01/JAN/2013

This day is celebrated worldwide to commemorate the often invisible BUT important role standards play in trade, safety and environmental protection. When you mention the word standards or ISO the first thing that comes to many people's minds is the ISO 9000. But ISO which is AMONG the more popular international standards body – developed not only the ISO 9000 but over 19500 standards!!! – and there are more coming.

Standards are tools which help solve problems or address any issues related to product or services. Until and unless businesses comply with these standards the beneficiaries (i.e consumers and the environment) will not realize the positive aspects and changes standards bring to everyday live.

For example the International Organization for Standardization or ISO got together experts related to toys from different parts of the world to develop a series of International Standards (IS) to guide business on safe production and marketing of toys. Since compliance with all ISO standards is voluntary, many countries especially developing ones did not make compliance with toy standards mandatory.

Then the 2007, massive toy recall happened and turned things around. Toys were discovered to contain lead (a kind of heavy metal) above the limits specified in the IS related to toys. Standard testing methods were used by laboratories in Malaysia to test several toys found several samples containing lead above the limits specified in the IS related to toys. The toys were sent for testing by the Malaysian Association of Standards Users. After a lengthy deliberation over three years the relevant safety standards were used to regulate toys in Malaysia under the newly enacted Toys Safety Regulations 2010.

Regulations which make compliance with standards mandatory are described as technical regulations.

Before IS are referred in a national technical regulations (in Malaysia) it has to be adopted as Malaysian Standards or MS through an agency set up to develop Malaysian Standards and also to implement accreditation functions in Malaysia. This department was established under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) in 1996 after the corporatization of SIRIM. This department is known as the Department of Standards Malaysia (Standards Malaysia). Standards Malaysia was established under the Standards of Malaysia Act 1996.

Standards Malaysia has developed over 6400 standards to date and more than 60% are aligned to International Standards namely ISO. This means that the IS is adopted in totality or amended slightly to meet local requirements such as voltage, temperature and weather.

Malaysia is the member of the ISO and International Electro-technical Commission or IEC through Standards Malaysia. The membership at CODEX is through the Food Safety and Quality Division. Many of the limits set for food products and ingredients in the Food Regulations 1985 are based on or guided by CODEX standards. CODEX established under the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) (under the UN). CODEX Alimentarius develops harmonised international food standards, guidelines and codes of practice to protect the health of the consumers and ensure fair practices in the food trade.

The Energy Commission or ST in Malaysia regulates safety of household electrical appliances and many of the standards used as administrative tools are adoption of the IEC (yet another international standards body but related to electrical and electronic appliances and power generation among others). This includes energy efficiency and energy management system standards – among others.

Technical regulations must be updated as and when new technologies and corresponding test and verification methods are available. When it comes to safety this kind of updates become more important. Among these are use and verification in the field of nanotechnology, eco-labeling and life cycle assessment, renewable energy, smart grids and new food producing and processing technologies.

Standards are developed to guide business improve productivity, product and service performance, safety and environmental performance and also societal considerations such as ethics and integrity (like the new ISO 26000:2010). Compliance with standards on a voluntary basis and being acknowledged for that gives business owners added advantage compared with others in the same sector. However if the acknowledgement and compliance process has shortcomings in terms of cost and process for example, it may deter voluntary compliance among businesses.

The Malaysian Association of Standards Users tested honey samples in two laboratories – both accredited; one in Malaysia and one in Thailand. Whilst both used the same method to test the honey, they yielded different results! Issues and problems with conformity assessment (activities to prove compliance) are mainly associated with confusion in labeling, claims and counterfeits – as far as consumers are concerned. This affects credibility of the conformity assessment activities in many countries.

Based on our experience and experiences among regulators in many countries mandatory compliance with standards is a costly affair – for businesses, regulators and consumers.

Whilst standards and conformity assessment creates positive changes to the economy, society and the environment, we can only realize the benefits if the standards development process is based on good standardization practices and promotes compliance. Conformity assessment needs to be transparent, faster and better. This will allow Malaysian Standards create positive changes to the quality of lives of Malaysians and greatly enhance global competitiveness and environment sustainability of Malaysian products and services.


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Category: LETTER TO EDITOR
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16/MAR/2009

Since 2006, we have witnessed many (massive) product safety scandals beginning with food poisoning in schools, to Salmonella contamination of peanut butter from the United States in 2009.

The Malaysian Association of Standards Users is on the mailing list of various consumer product safety enforcement and regulatory agencies around the world namely the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan and Korea. Unfortunately similar facilities are not provided by relevant government agencies here in Malaysia.

While consumers in the countries mentioned above are constantly notified of products which are unsafe and has been issued recall notices, the relevant government agencies in Malaysia are unable to take similar actions to protect consumers from similarly unsafe products. Most of the products deemed unsafe in these countries are not controlled (directly) under any Acts or Regulations in Malaysia. Among these are lights / bulbs and of course toys.

We have been toying with the toy safety regulations since 2002. Against the backdrop of the 2007 toy safety crisis, the Malaysian Association of Standards Users and the Department of Standards Malaysia pressured the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP) to activate work on the shelved toy safety regulation. It has been close to two years now since work re-started on the regulations and the implementation has been postponed time and again. After notifying the World Trade Organisation (WTO) the regulation is at its final stage addressing the customs HS code. We were told by KPDNHEP that the regulation will be implemented end of March 2009.

We are greatly disappointed that considering the importance of this issue and the urgency of the matter it is taking about 2 years to get a safety regulation implemented. (Or 7 years since it was drafted). Regulations need not go to parliament to be endorsed! Even some Acts (which need to be passed in Parliament) get passed faster than this.

Even today Standards Users received an e-mail from both the USCPSC and Health Canada that they have recalled more than 180,000 toys due to choking hazard to children. The US has recalled about 210,000 flip flops (children hawaianna slippers) due to high level of lead.

Perhaps some of these exact models of products are not in sale here BUT there are many similar types of product sold in Malaysia and may pose the same dangers. But who’s testing them? Nothing is being done by any of the authorities since it is NOT under any agencies’ jurisdiction? So no one is taking any action!

BUT that is not true!
 
The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs has overall on the Consumer Protection Act 1999. Under Section 19 of the Act the Minister has the power to make any safety standards mandatory; and under Section 23 the Minister can recall / stop the sales of unsafe products. Since 1999, how many standards have been made mandatory and how many recalls have been made under this ACT? None!.
 
We are still waiting for heaven knows what for actions to be taken on unsafe product under the Act.

The Malaysian Association of Standards Users has sent toys for a series of test and among them are the chemical content. Although in terms of lead content the toys tested are within limits, the toys pose choking and strangulation hazards. Some have sharp edges which can cause injuries to children.

We do not know for sure how many children get injured every year due to unsafe toys. There are no studies NOT even by our local universities and not even after the 2007 toy safety crisis. The US Public Interest Research Group publishes child product safety report every year. They gather data from hospitals and emergency ward and have comprehensive annual reports. We, unfortunately do not have such data. This kind of data will help us to push for regulations and mandatory standards.

We hope people will come forth and report injuries due to toys or any other consumer products for us to have valid records and pursue the complaints / reports with the relevant regulatory agencies for further actions.

Since 2006, we have witnessed many (massive) product safety scandals beginning with food poisoning in schools, to Salmonella contamination of peanut butter from the United States in 2009. Since the 2007 toy safety crisis, the US, Canadian and the European governments have taken steps to improve product safety regulations in their respective countries. The most notable one is the US Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. The string of food safety scandals in the United States have urged the improvement of FDA’s roles and responsibilities, laws and budget allocations.

The FDA has come under scrutiny by consumers and industries in the United States for the recent peanut butter contamination. Reports claim that the FDA did not increase inspection frequency after the visit the Peanut Corporation of America in 2007 and found Salmonella contamination then. The FDA laws, research and recommendations are constantly used as reference by the relevant regulatory agencies in Malaysia, namely the Food Safety and Quality Division (FSQD) and the National Pharmaceuticals Control Board (NPCB).

After multiple problems with food safety in the past year the US, China, Europe and many other countries (both importing and exporting food) have reviewed and made food related regulations stricter.

We are under no pressure to do the same as the ambiguity in interpreting the relevant Act and Regulations provides a lot of flexibilities to both the industry and the regulatory agencies for not doing enough to improve safety of food and other products for Malaysian consumers.

If you can convince them, confuse them!

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Category: RECALLS & INCIDENTS
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Approximately 67 million Takata airbags have been recalled because these airbags can explode when deployed, causing serious injury or even death. All vehicle owners should: 1. Check for Recalls using your vehicle identification number (VIN). 2. Get the Fix by calling your local dealer; it will be repaired for free.

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Category: LETTER TO EDITOR
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02/MAR/2009

With Regards to "All out to help disabled students " in the NST on 2nd March 2009,

The Malaysian Association of Standards Users (Standards Users) is very delighted that there are allocation by the Terengganu state government of unlimited funds to help students with disabilities.
It is something many should emulate especially those who get cheap publicity helping people with disabilities by giving them wheel chairs and get the press to tell the world about it. In many cases the wheel chairs are not the correct one for people with mobility problems !!!.

Standards Users has the privilege of working with the Japanese Industrial Standards Committee through our work with the Department of Standards Malaysia. We were truly inspired by the level of access people with disabilities (PWDs) and the elderly enjoy in Japan. They are relatively independent and are able to care for themselves on their own.

PWDs often voice out their desire that they do not want to thrive on charity and become a subject of philanthropy all their lives. They are prepared to work and support themselves and contribute to the economy just as much as the mainstream citizens do.

What is stopping them then?

The answer is the inaccessible environment. The transportation and road systems are not accessible for PWDs at all. Even in metropolitan Kuala Lumpur, we can only see pockets of locations which are accessible to PWDs namely those with vision impairment and some places for those who are wheel chair bound.  Most public buildings even in Kuala Terengganu although subject to the Uniform Building By-Laws or the UBBL are not accessible to PWDs. The By-law 34A of the UBBL has requirements for buildings to comply with the Malaysian Standards or MS 1183 on Specifications for Fire Precautions in the Design and Construction of Buildings Code of Practice for Means of Escape for Disabled People and the MS 1184: 2002 Code of Practice on Access for Disabled Persons to Public Buildings.

But these provisions are rarely if not never complied with. Some buildings are provided with dysfunctional accessibility features such as wheel chair ramps which are too steep, Braille inscriptions on lift floor buttons without audio indications of floors and blocked access to PWD toilets. In some places toilets for PWDs are used as detergent and cleaning appliances storage space.

The current UBBL does not call for compliance with the MS 1331 which is the Code of Practice for Access for Disabled People Outside Buildings. This standard outlines basic requirements for the provision and design of out-door facilities so that they are accessible and usable by disabled people.

We hope that the funds allocated by the Terengganu state government include improvement of accessibility for PWDs. This is a more long term and effective measures to truly help PWDs lead normal lives alongside mainstream society. Compliance to the available Malaysian Standards for accessibility which are already in the UBBL shall be the first step to ensure that PWD are provided with long term solutions rather than short term charity or philanthropy exercises which only benefits them once.

We must remember that going by the United Nations statistics, if 10% of the world populations face some form of disability then Malaysia may have at least 2.7 million PWDs. Therefore it is in the interest of the government’s expenditure to ensure a more long term viable and sustainable solution for PWDs to be able to care for themselves, be independent and earn a decent living but ONLY if they can have access to such privileges.

Datuk Marimuthu Nadason
President

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Category: CONTACT US
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Address:

MALAYSIAN ASSOCIATION OF STANDARDS USERS (Standards Users)
No. 24, Jalan SS 1/22A
47300 Petaling Jaya
Selangor

Contact:

Office: 03-7876 4648
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