Proposed law allows voters to return lemon PAP MPs

[SneeringTree]

The Straits Times
www.straitstimes.com
Singapore
Home > Breaking News > Singapore > Story
Dec 21, 2010
PROPOSED CONSUMER PROTECTION LAWS
'Lemon-aid' for consumers
By Jessica Lim
A proposed law will make it compulsory for retailers to either repair or replace the faulty item. -- ST PHOTO: STEPHANIE YEOW

A CONSUMER here who buys a defective product, commonly called a lemon, may soon get some protection.

A proposed law will make it compulsory for retailers to either repair or replace the item. But the retailer has to be found guilty of having sold the faulty item in the first place.

Presently, no such lemon laws exist here. This means that consumers who take the retailer to the Small Claims Tribunal or file a suit, are not guaranteed of success. The outcome in such cases, said Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) executive director Seah Seng Choon, depends on the discretion of the judge.

'If the Act is amended, it will become very clear - if the goods are defective, the retailer has to either repair or replace them,' said Mr Seah, who added that Case was part of the task force that recommended the changes. 'Now, retailers can always argue their way out and say that they have no obligation to replace defective goods.'

Some retailers, for instance, blame suppliers for the faulty goods. Others refuse a refund or exchange, and repeatedly refer customers to repair centres.

The same law, which will be a provision under the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act, will also cover hire purchase agreements.

Read the full story in Tuesday's edition of The Straits Times.

 

[manokie]

good move

no one praising the pap?

 

[Dreamer1]

good move

no one praising the pap?

Yes,I do indeed
1960+(PAP)=85%
1970+(PAP)=95%
1980+(PAP)=80%
1990+(PAP)=70%
2000+(PAP)=60%
2010+(PAP)=45%-35%
2020+(PAP)=?

 

[kukubird58]

hahaha...anybody know why a defective product is called a lemon??

 

[SneeringTree]

hahaha...anybody know why a defective product is called a lemon??

lemon "worthless thing," 1909, Amer.Eng. slang; from lemon (1), perhaps via criminal slang sense of "a person who is a loser, a simpleton," which is perhaps from the notion of someone a sharper can "suck the juice out of." A pool hall hustle was called a lemon game (1908); while to hand someone a lemon was British slang (1906) for "to pass off a sub-standard article as a good one." Or it simply may be a metaphor for something which "leaves a bad taste in one's mouth."

http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/366494

 

[kukubird58]

lemon "worthless thing," 1909, Amer.Eng. slang; from lemon (1), perhaps via criminal slang sense of "a person who is a loser, a simpleton," which is perhaps from the notion of someone a sharper can "suck the juice out of." A pool hall hustle was called a lemon game (1908); while to hand someone a lemon was British slang (1906) for "to pass off a sub-standard article as a good one." Or it simply may be a metaphor for something which "leaves a bad taste in one's mouth."

http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/366494

thks.
yes..indeed there are many lemon Papee MPs around.

 

[Char_Azn]

thks.
yes..indeed there are many lemon Papee MPs around.

It's actually named after lemon face MBT

 

[Glaringly]

good move

no one praising the pap?

Why did it took them 50 years to realise it. Applaud them, you must be kidding!

If this is implemented years back, all those HDB households affected by defective window rivets would not have to come up with their hard earn money to pay for HDB defective quality control.

 

[johnny333]

Actually Spore has one of the weakest consumer laws in this region. According to my lawyer friend, consumers in Spore have no rights

It may be the reason why so many make complaints to CASE or the press

 

[streetsmart73]

Why did it took them 50 years to realise it. Applaud them, you must be kidding!

If this is implemented years back, all those HDB households affected by defective window rivets would not have to come up with their hard earn money to pay for HDB defective quality control.

hi there


1. bro, it takes millions of dollars in salary.
2. tons of scholarships and elite sheep in some ivory towers.
3. and yet, it is still some proposal.
4. well done, sheep!

 

[halsey02]

hahaha...anybody know why a defective product is called a lemon??

They sucks??

 

[SneeringTree]

Why did it took them 50 years to realise it. Applaud them, you must be kidding!

If this is implemented years back, all those HDB households affected by defective window rivets would not have to come up with their hard earn money to pay for HDB defective quality control.

Very true!

 

[Agoraphobic]

hahaha...anybody know why a defective product is called a lemon??

The original lemon was the Ford Edsel. And yellow was a choice color.

The car was a piece of crap and it gave rise to the word being used this way.

Cheers!

 

[Agoraphobic]

good move

no one praising the pap?

Things like that should have been implemented by consumer associations (like CASE, not government or political body) long long ago, say maybe around the time that Singapore labelled herself First World.

And the refund policy is not confined to defective goods. Example, if you bought a present for someone and it turns out that person already has that item, you could still get a cash refund (not just exchange for something of the same or higher value.) At COSTCO (a "wholesale" retailer) in USA and Canada, this is valid for 1 year. And yes, some customers take advantage.

Cheers!

 

[scroobal]

Absolutely agree.

Why did it took them 50 years to realise it. Applaud them, you must be kidding!

If this is implemented years back, all those HDB households affected by defective window rivets would not have to come up with their hard earn money to pay for HDB defective quality control.

 

[Ramseth]

It's not advisable to have open out windows in high-rise flats. I have all sliding windows.

 

[manokie]

Things like that should have been implemented by consumer associations (like CASE, not government or political body) long long ago, say maybe around the time that Singapore labelled herself First World.

And the refund policy is not confined to defective goods. Example, if you bought a present for someone and it turns out that person already has that item, you could still get a cash refund (not just exchange for something of the same or higher value.) At COSTCO (a "wholesale" retailer) in USA and Canada, this is valid for 1 year. And yes, some customers take advantage.

Cheers!

you forgot that PAP is taking a lot of heat for making it a law. in US, i can buy anything to return to most places within 30 days and some 90 days. best buy also took away the restocking fees recently. US retailers can afford such lax return policies because they have a 330 million market. i worry for small sg retailers. they are strangled by pap's high rentals and now a no lemons law.

 

[Agoraphobic]

you forgot that PAP is taking a lot of heat for making it a law. in US, i can buy anything to return to most places within 30 days and some 90 days. best buy also took away the restocking fees recently. US retailers can afford such lax return policies because they have a 330 million market. i worry for small sg retailers. they are strangled by pap's high rentals and now a no lemons law.

The small retailer is getting smaller. It is not a nice thing, but it is that way. Only in niche and service areas will the small biz have a chance. Can't get credit, have to keep stock, too small to "dump" inventory. It's not only Sg, every metropolitan urban place is becoming like that. Unlike small towns in the countryside, can buy from farmers' market and pa n' ma shops.

I suppose in Sg's unique case, the gov't (and not the political party) has to step in to make it a law and "open" competition between Best, Harvey Norman, Courts, etc. did not make that happen.

Cheers!