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New Straits Times
26-05-2025
- New Straits Times
NST Leader: The many dangers of uncertified power banks
ALMOST everyone is walking around with a portable power bank in their bag or pocket. And yet Sirim certification is not mandatory. Why? Sirim says the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry has yet to gazette power banks as products requiring the government-owned industrial research and technology body's certification. Ask the ministry, as the New Sunday Times did, and a spokesperson put it thus: "Our role is limited to handling consumer complaints, such as if a buyer is deceived or receives a defective product." And so we end up in a grey area. But perhaps we need to point out that in 2017, the ministry did announce plans for a Sirim certification for all power banks. The move was almost a certainty that the media, especially the technology news portals, began welcoming the move. Because they know defective power banks can be fatally dangerous. But no answer is forthcoming as to why the plan was never realised. That begs a question: if the ministry could do it then, why not now? What exactly is holding up mandatory Sirim certification for power banks? Those who care for consumer safety continue to warn the authorities that so long as there is no clear regulation, unsafe products such as power banks will continue to be sold. China, where most of the power banks come from, is doing a better job. Starting August last year, it banned uncertified power banks and batteries from leaving the factories, or being sold or exported. Consumers associations have been urging the government for the longest time to make such certifications mandatory. There have been far too many cases of power banks catching fire, even exploding. One such tragic incident led to the death of a 19-year-old on May 26, 2017. Understandably, consumers do not know which power banks are safe and which are not because the components that cause overheating are not visible to them. Even if they were, consumers won't be able to tell a defective device from one that isn't. Sirim's certification can help them do so. As electrical engineer Associate Professor Dr Mohamad Fahmi Hussin told the New Sunday Times, low-quality power banks pose serious risk to users as they are more prone to overheating. Because they are cheap — some are sold for RM30 — they don't have a battery management system, which is crucial for preventing overheating, overcharging and short circuits. Fahmi put it thus: "Without a battery management system, lithium-ion cells can enter thermal runaway — an uncontrolled, self-heating process that can lead to fires and explosions." If this isn't enough, some manufacturers, he warned, use recycled or second-hand cells salvaged from discarded laptops or e-bikes, leading to deterioration overtime. Obviously, none of this degradation is visible to the users. There is only one way out of this mess: the government must make Sirim certification mandatory for all secondary battery products, including power banks. But it must not just stop there. A robust enforcement must follow. Crackdown on the sale of uncertified power banks mustn't be an occasional operation; it must be persistent. In the meantime — we hope this isn't a very long "meantime" — our advice to consumers is this: stay away from uncertified power banks.
New Straits Times
24-05-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Call for action: Consumer groups push for mandatory certification of power banks
KUALA LUMPUR: Consumer groups have called on the government to make Sirim certification mandatory for power banks, warning that the continued sale of uncertified devices puts users at risk. Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) president Mohideen Abdul Kader said many power banks being sold for between RM30 and RM60 did not bear any safety or certification marks. "Uncertified power banks will continue to be sold as long as there is demand for cheap products," he told the New Sunday Times. Mohideen added that many consumers were unaware of the importance of buying electrical appliances with safety certification, such as the Sirim label or other international standards. Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) chief executive officer T. Saravanan said. "The safety of consumers must come first, and it's high time the government made Sirim certification mandatory," he said. He added that this should be followed by a crackdown on the sale of uncertified power banks. Saravanan said that in 2017, the then domestic trade and cost of living minister announced plans to require Sirim certification for all power banks. However, the plan was never realised. "Without clear regulation and enforcement, unsafe products will keep reaching consumers. "Many such incidents go unreported because consumers either don't know how to file a complaint or feel the damage is minor," he added. Malaysia Consumers Movement (MCM) legal adviser Sukhdave Singh expressed similar concerns. "It's disappointing that the government has not acted on this, more so when there is a pressing need. "We call on the government to make power bank certification mandatory immediately. "Right now, we can only advise people not to buy uncertified power banks, but for real change, regulation is needed to hold manufacturers, importers and sellers accountable," he said. A quick check by the New Sunday Times found power banks being sold online for as low as RM16, raising doubts about the safety of such devices. Many of them did not have Sirim certification.
New Straits Times
18-05-2025
- General
- New Straits Times
Battling for elephant safety on East-West Highway [WATCH]
KUALA LUMPUR: Change doesn't happen overnight — especially when it comes to protecting elephants in one of Peninsular Malaysia's last great wildernesses. But along the treacherous 120km stretch of the East-West Highway, efforts are being ramped up. Cutting through the heart of the Belum-Temengor Forest Complex — home to elephants, tigers and Malayan tapirs — the highway has become a deadly corridor for wildlife and motorists alike. Perak Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) director Yusoff Shariff said they've identified around 40 elephant crossing points along the road, underscoring just how active the area is. "This highway slices right through a critical elephant habitat," he told the New Sunday Times. "And we're seeing crossings very often." To reduce the risk of collisions, 19 warning signs and 17 streetlights have been put up, with more on the way as new hotspots emerge. Plans are also underway to install speed breakers and LED-lit warning signs. "These seem like small steps, but on roads like these, small things save lives," said Yusoff. Yet he warned: "There's no one-size-fits-all solution. Elephant movement is dynamic — it changes with food sources, terrain and habitat pressures." Among the long-term fixes is the construction of wildlife viaducts — but these come with their own set of challenges. "It can take up to two years to build just one crossing. The construction noise itself can drive animals away. Even after completion, we have to "rewild" the site — plant native trees, provide food sources, and set up salt licks — just to coax animals to use it." One success story, he said, is a 200-metre viaduct built in 2015 at a cost of RM26 million. Camera traps have since captured elephants, tapirs and even tigers using it. Beyond the highway, Perhilitan has installed electric fencing in three villages to keep elephants away, besides reducing the likelihood of them wandering onto roads. But the issue goes deeper. "Every development project — plantations, roads or forest clearing — must undergo an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)," Yusoff stressed. "And every EIA must come with proper wildlife mitigation plans. If relocation is needed, it must be done professionally — that's our job." Perhilitan also deploys a dedicated patrol unit along the highway to scare elephants away — but the dark, winding road is long and unpredictable. "Elephants can appear anywhere and it's dangerous work," he admitted. His advice for motorists: Avoid travelling at night. "Stick to driving between 10am and 4pm — that's usually when the elephants are resting." And never feed them. "When people feed elephants, they learn to associate roads with food — and that's when the danger really begins."
New Straits Times
17-05-2025
- General
- New Straits Times
Battling for elephant safety on East-West Highway
Change doesn't happen overnight — especially when it comes to protecting elephants in one of Peninsular Malaysia's last great wildernesses. But along the treacherous 120km stretch of the East-West Highway, efforts are being ramped up. Cutting through the heart of the Belum-Temengor Forest Complex — home to elephants, tigers and Malayan tapirs — the highway has become a deadly corridor for wildlife and motorists alike. Perak Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) director Yusoff Shariff said they've identified around 40 elephant crossing points along the road, underscoring just how active the area is. "This highway slices right through a critical elephant habitat," he told the New Sunday Times. "And we're seeing crossings very often." To reduce the risk of collisions, 19 warning signs and 17 streetlights have been put up, with more on the way as new hotspots emerge. Plans are also underway to install speed breakers and LED-lit warning signs. "These seem like small steps, but on roads like these, small things save lives," said Yusoff. Yet he warned: "There's no one-size-fits-all solution. Elephant movement is dynamic — it changes with food sources, terrain and habitat pressures." Among the long-term fixes is the construction of wildlife viaducts — but these come with their own set of challenges. "It can take up to two years to build just one crossing. The construction noise itself can drive animals away. Even after completion, we have to "rewild" the site — plant native trees, provide food sources, and set up salt licks — just to coax animals to use it." One success story, he said, is a 200-metre viaduct built in 2015 at a cost of RM26 million. Camera traps have since captured elephants, tapirs and even tigers using it. Beyond the highway, Perhilitan has installed electric fencing in three villages to keep elephants away, besides reducing the likelihood of them wandering onto roads. But the issue goes deeper. "Every development project — plantations, roads or forest clearing — must undergo an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)," Yusoff stressed. "And every EIA must come with proper wildlife mitigation plans. If relocation is needed, it must be done professionally — that's our job." Perhilitan also deploys a dedicated patrol unit along the highway to scare elephants away — but the dark, winding road is long and unpredictable. "Elephants can appear anywhere and it's dangerous work," he admitted. His advice for motorists: Avoid travelling at night. "Stick to driving between 10am and 4pm — that's usually when the elephants are resting." And never feed them. "When people feed elephants, they learn to associate roads with food — and that's when the danger really begins."
