A consumer group is urging the government to implement a “lemon law” to hold automakers responsible for defective projects and compel them to repair vehicles in accordance with the law. The call to introduce this was made by the Penang Consumers’ Association (CAP), which said that doing so will provide vehicle buyers who end up with defective vehicles with an avenue for redress, The Malay Mail reports.
CAP president SM Mohamed Idris said that a lemon law would require defective cars to be repaired or replaced, and a consumer may request for a reduction in price or get a refund. “Lemon law strengthens the consumer protection act. It should be introduced to provide consumers holding onto lemons — nice to see but sour to taste — an avenue of legal redress,” he said via a statement.
He added that the association suggests that it would be reasonable that a maximum of a month be given for a seriously defective car to be repaired, and three attempts reasonable for the service centre to repair the same defect before the lemon law applies.
“We need the lemon law to ensure that car manufacturers repair their defective products satisfactorily as required by law,” he said, adding that the number of defective new cars that Malaysians are holding on with no avenue for legal redress is worrying.
Citing Singapore’s lemon law, which was incorporated into Singapore’s Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act 2004, he said Malaysia can do the same for its Consumer Protection Act 1999.
Singapore’s lemon law allows consumers to make a claim for defective products purchased within six months. Sellers of defective product have to repair, replace, refund or reduce the price of the defective product, and the defective product must be repaired or replaced within a reasonable time. Consumers can ask for a price reduction or return the product for a refund if seller fails to repair the product.
Such a call has been made in the past, but nothing came out of it. What do you think of the idea? Share your thoughts in the comments section.
Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.
Our main problem, started from the previous Government is that nearly all car companies are directly or indirectly owned by the Government themselves.
BMW is Sime, Toyota is UMW, Honda is DRB, Proton is DRB, Perodua is UMW, Hyundai and Ford is Sime and so on.
This is why the past 20 years we got very low spec cars with just 2 airbags and no VSC. Whilst the whole world had VSC 15 years ago and about 7 airbags in their cars 10 years ago, our cars only had 2 airbags and no VSC until 2 years ago.
Even prestigious cars like Toyota Camry had only 2 airbags and no VSC until 2 years ago.
The rakyat had to one to complain. We complain, means we were complaining against the Government and no court will entertain us.
In other countries, the Government themselves will sue the car companies on behalf of the consumer if they get a lemon or the car has little safety spec.
Pity Malaysians.
Aiyoo YB,
The article is talking about solutions, but you still want to focus on problems and historical blaming. Not even accurately describe the root causes, only play on perceptions and generalizations.
I think our real problem is bashers like yourself, who find problems in every solution (not the other way around). Don’t want to move on or contribute.
B4 having lemon laws we need to have laws for minimum safety standards on cars sold. Jepunis and their celups shud be barred from selling cars with only 1 airbag and most others w/o ESC.
Only car should be barred is Proton because Proton from 1985 till now got problem after problem. Started with power windowns…..now oil leak
Power windows have nothing to do with safety. I fully agree with John. Better to focus on having a law on minimum safety standards and force those like Perodua, Toyota, and Nissan to comply or stop selling, pronto.
Dont blame the Principal. Blame the CKD partner in Malaysia.
Being Malaysian company, why they never negotiate better safety spec for their own rakyat?
Why UMW, Government owned never negotiate with the Japs for better safety?
This means UMW and DRB and Sime sold Malaysians out.
IF the car company pays compensation for any wrong doing to the consumer, the car company will lose money. And who owns the car company? It is the Government. This means the Government will lose money when their car company pays compensation to you OR if they give you higher spec cars with more safety features.
The Courts are the Government. Why should the courts penalise their ownself? This would mean the Government will be losing money if they pay the consumer for a lemon.
Why blame him? He just stated the truth, that is not a perception.. you missed the point here.. since when someone with opinion are labelled bashers? So, what is your solution?
If we had Lemon law 20 years ago, Proton would have gone bankrupt in the 90s already.
Enough of protection to Proton. We Malaysians have suffered so much with low quality cars far too long
I think Kunta also gave the solution. He said kerajaan need to give up their shares in car companies.
In overseas, the gomen got no stake in car companies. So they are fair to the consumer!
This is why car prices are the highest in the world. Our kerajaan own the car companies. So, they never reduce the price.
If they ask the car companies to reduce the price, they are asking themselves to reduce the price.
I think you missed the point. The problem is the ownership of the car companies. Our Government cannot fight for the rakyat for cheaper prices or lemon problems cos they own it
60 years of corruption and making all kronies as the supplier of parts have given us this lemons
See all suppliers……all krony
Hi YB Kunta Kinte, New Camry 2019 that sells in Malaysia already have more airbags which consists of 7 airbags and not 2 airbags anymore. Anyway pls read any articles before you feedback any articles with more senses. Don’t just simply feedback any articles without any sense
I think Kunta mentioned that past 20 years we got low safety cars.
He also mentions in 2018 they buck up
You must read carefully. Kunta Kinte said 2 years ago and not 2019 model. Idiots why protecting car company? Defective parts fitted and than recall giant manufacturers from all over the work but a statement Malaysia will say..that batch not been imported into Malaysia. Why? Is it Malaysian life so cheap??
Toyota was first to install VSC in first corolla altis 1.8G 2002 and also Camry 2.4V the same year. So advanced that you were still in kindergarten that time.
Well said Kunta. Truth hurts but facts are facts.
For over 15 years VW owners in Malaysia want to sue for their lemon DSG.
But because VW is part of DRB Hicom……nobody dare to take action
No need to complain. Just buy preve, 6 airbags, esc and 5 star Aussie ncap.
best comment ever. Thank you Kunta!
We can only get such protection from the Lemon Law only if the Government relinquishes their shares and ownership in car companies.
Otherwise, no court of law will dare go against the Government if a consumer files a claim against the car company (government owned)
Syukur YB, kerajaan prihatin smue rakyat heppi
Memang semua rakyat happy. Yang tak happy hanya cybertrooper2 BN
The Exora owner whose car bakar because naik Genting got sued by Proton instead.
Kesian the guy. He complained to Proton, Proton tak layan him. Proton infact blamed the guy and said it was his fault. So, he frustrated, he put on FB. Then Proton got angry and sued the guy cause Proton knew it was Gomen owned.
Shud intro lemon law 30yr ago when proton. Lolz
In the US, US Government came down hard on Toyota for the brake pedal issue.
It was the US Government who sued Toyota and told them, if they don’t admit liability, they will be fined and prosecuted.
Here, the US Government was neutral as they had no shares in Toyota USA (unlike UMW and Gomen of Malaysia). So, the Government of USA sued Toyota on behalf of their rakyat.
About time this happened.
really hope this will be implemented.
All the suppliers and vendors for all CKD cars in Malaysia are all kronies of the previous Government.
They supply low quality parts.
BETTER LATE THAN NEVER
My full support and hope to implement this soonest possible. Malaysia Baru!
As consumers we are all in for this!
Go go go!!!
Yes! All luxury car company will be having issue. Because it’s way too expensive for buyer to solved. 2nd Yes! All low and mid income will have a good quality car while safety is priority. Good job G. Its better late than never if BN still G.
Will be my last experiences in Proton ownership…..
6 years ago bought new car, experiences lemon the next day. The sales agent said can go claim warranty.
So I went to Proton SC, the SC advisor said my claim not justifiable and is not cover under warranty. He iterated further that this type warranty are not applicable for 2nd hand owner.
Puzzle… I said am the 1st owner and the car definitely is not the 2nd hand car. I explained just took the car out from showroom yesterday and today am here to claim the defect warranty.
To my surprise and shock as he explaining….. 1st hand car is the car at showroom, the moment a car leave the showroom are labelled as 2nd hand car.
* Thus this is my complaint…. uneven color tone & rought paint work (on some area), dented boot, dirty interior (1 dark finger print mark), manual gear issue (rough gear change and frequent jammed when engaging 3rd gear to 4th gear and vice versa).
SC same ol lame excuses : Semua kereta spec u sama aje. So is normal.
Agreeeee… we want lemon! We want lemon!
VW will be the first offender
I agreed with this as i have bad experienced with my newly bought car(previously). I felt being cheated by the distributor as they do not bother to take the responsibility and washed their hand on the quality issues.
There need to have a law to protect buyers or else the car manufacturers or distributor will take advantage on this situation.
We don’t have it already??? Damn previous government!
Yes to that. But good things need time to happen. But then again, enough time has been given to the government and corporations in this country to get their acts right. Purge the fat cats and up the transparency in all dealings. Let the rakyat, take control and benefit by doing it all fairly. Otherwise, PH and reformed fat cats… you will be out in 4 years plus and counting down…
Our law is currently durian law. Thorny to see, awful in smell and taste.
Give Lifetime warranty for car purchase to justify the high car excise duties.
probably gonna U-turn (again)…..after awhile
Lemon law… Hahahaha… Petrol turun harga pun goyang, usah bangkitkan pekara ini kepada pengeluar kereta… Haha…
The patron saint of lemon is back in power. Do you honestly think this law will get through?
Yaloh…we shld move forward and trust our Malaysia Baru goverment felt the consumer frustration and understand them clearly to take the necessary action.
I bought a car for RM29K 10 months ago, and to date I have spent more than RM60K on repairs. 2 months after purchase I went to consumer court and the judge ordered the dealer to fix the problems but he took the car for 2 weeks and did literally nothing! I went back to the court and the same thing happened again. I was told the car was involved in a flood water so it will forever be under repairs
Good idea especially for second hand cars.. many 2nd hand defective cars sold by 2nd hand car dealers. And, they always get away with it!
Absolutely agree with the lemon law being implemented. Bought a brand new Mazda 3 in January 2018 after reading many positive reviews. The car I received has a shit ton of problems. Rattling steering wheel column, squeaking suspension, rusty fuel inlet, rattling heat shield rattling door panel, leaking windshield, squeaking door handle, loose A-pillar cover. Till now it still hasn’t been fully fixed. There I still some random noises rattling here and there coming from who knows where. I wish there was a lemon law in place so that this junk could have been replaced. Never buying another Mazda again after this. Have learnt my lesson already.