As an NGO, we receive complaints from consumers, stating their frustrations on how their problems go on unsolved for months or sometimes even years. When we contact the relevant companies or authorities, we get a different story and reason for the persisting problem. In the end, the problem is never fixed.

Let us take a well-known current issue as an example. Remember the bauxite mining issue in Pahang? In December last year, a professor from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia tested the water from the consumer’s end to find high levels of lead and aluminium, more than what our Health Ministry allows.

In early January, the Health director-general announced that residents need not worry as drinking water meets quality standards. Here we have two contradicting statements from two separate but reliable sources, does it means one of them if wrong?

Technically, both are telling the truth. However, the professor tested the water from the consumer’s end, while the Health Ministry tested the water directly from the water treatment plant. Although these details are in the media report, it is not highlighted nor explained well enough. As a result we get countless confused consumers who have every right to be angry.

Consumers want clean water to reach their homes, and clearly some are not getting this. The concerns of consumers are water quality in their homes, so releasing semi-relevant test results is definitely not going to make consumers happy.

Consumers on the other hand, need to understand more about how the companies and authorities work. Some places may not handle complaints as fast as others, but it would be good if consumers can understand the standard working procedures and avoid demanding for more than what you are entitled to.

That being said, it is not good if consumers do not voice out at all. If the product or service you receive is not up to par, voice out! Let the companies and authorities know about it, only then can their services improve.

The point here is that communications between the industry, government as well as the public is still lacking in Malaysia. If a little more effort is put in from both sides, we may be able to avoid the many of the misunderstandings that we have today. Giving the correct information is vital to bridging this gap that we have.

NAH KOK WAI is research and policy executive, Forum Air Malaysia.