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ISSUE OF THE QUARTER - SCAM CALLS Know how to detect scammers and avoid being the next victim
QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER
HANDS ON - TOP COMPLAINTS FOR THE YEAR 2017
Discover the top telco issues faced by Malaysians and how to handle them
SHOUT!
PUBLISHED BY THE COMMUNICATIONS AND MULTIMEDIA CONSUMER FORUM OF MALAYSIA
THE WORD WITH...
RHYS WILLIAM The British guy with a flair in the Malay language and culture talks about his journey
WIN EXCIT ING SHOUT! MAGAZINE GOODIES FROM CFM Just upload a snapshot of your favourite article in this issue to Facebook/Instagram with the hashtag
#cfmshout2017 KDN PP 17752/11/2013 (033132)
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INTRO
3 THINGS YOU WILL LEARN IN THIS ISSUE
A P P S F O R T E C HS AV V Y T R AV E L L E R S
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Make travelling a joy with our top travel apps
W H AT T O D O WITH YOUR OLD SMARTPHONES?
EDITOR’S NOTE No matter how much of a vigilant consumer we think we are, a lot of us are still vulnerable to suspicious calls. Lately, a worrying number of victims to scam calls has taken headlines in our country. Scammers are sneakier than you would have thought. However, you still need to safeguard your money and confidential information. And that is why in this Issue of the Quarter, SHOUT! will present to you some handy tips and guidelines to protect you from becoming another victim to these conniving modern thieves. On another note, what is the most annoying household problem to you? Is it the leaking tap? The creaking doors? Or the clogged drain? Well, one of the top frustrating issues would be slow Wi-Fi connectivity. Well worry no more as we are also giving you suggestions of devices that can help improve connectivity in your home. Just flip over to our Top Gear section to see these useful devices with sleek design. As we are welcoming 2018, we are also uncovering the top complaints made by telco consumers in 2017. You could be facing similar issues, so make sure you don’t miss out on our Hands On page where we will give some tips for a better subscription experience. We also have a very special personality for The Word. Rhys William, the famous British guy who has fallen in love with the lovely places in Malaysia, and our famous local dishes. A true traveller at heart, find out what has made him choose Malaysia as his home. Enjoy our lively issue and like always, be a smart consumer! Megat Ishak Ma’amunor Rashid Editor
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Don’t throw them away! Check out these ingenious ways to reuse them
W H AT ’ S I N S I D E 3
THE NUMBERS Soothe your eyes the next time you are scrolling through Instagram with our list of top Insta-travelers.
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ON THE WIRE The latest news and events happening in Communications and Multimedia Consumer Forum of Malaysia.
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SOCIAL MEDIA LIFE Weird and fun social media apps you can check out and explore.
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TOP GEAR What is home without high-speed Wi-Fi? Check out these devices to improve Wi-Fi speed.
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THE WORD RHYS WILLIAM
S TA R T U S I N G C L O U D SERVICES
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Want to save your precious phone storage? Check out these cloud storage options!
A traveller and food critic who has found home in his journey to Malaysia.
ISSUE OF THE QUARTER
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SCAM CALLS
Be aware of scammers and know how to outsmart them.
APPZONE
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T O P T R AV E L A P P S
SHOU T ! is published on a quarterly basis by: Communications and Multimedia Consumer Forum of Malaysia (CFM) Malaysian Communications & Multimedia Commission (MCMC), Off Persiaran Multimedia, Jalan Impact, 63000 Cyberjaya, Selangor T: 03-8320 9033 F: 03-8320 9083 W: www.consumerinfo.my PRINTED BY Ultimate Print Sdn. Bhd. Lot 2, Jalan Sepana 15/3, Off Persiaran Selangor, Seksyen 15, 40200 Shah Alam, Selangor
KDN PP 17752/11/2013 (033132)
Make your journey a breeze and check out our suggestions of useful apps.
D I G I TA L L I F E
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REUSE YOUR SMARTPHONES
They do not belong in museums yet! Find ways to reuse them with our tips.
HANDS ON
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TOP COMPL AINTS OF 2017
Unsatisfied with billing and charging issues? Read our tips for a peace of mind.
TUTORIAL CLOUD STORAGE
Choices of cloud storage apps you will definitely love!
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THE NUMBERS
10 B E S T T R AV E L I N S TA G R A M A C C O U N T S Beautify your Instagram feeds by following these wanderlust-powered travel Instagrammers to give you inspiration for your next trip. Some will provide you a glimpse of wonderful journeys through a local’s eyes, and some will excite you to be a part of globally diverse cultures…
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@I S M A E L _M A
Zahariz is a Malaysian who lives constantly on the road, and his feeds are just as amazing as his journey. His photos are accentuated with incredible lighting and will give audiences a different perspective on nature and people.
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Ismael Ma has previously lived in Hawaii and Egypt before coming back to Malaysia. As a photographer, he surely knows how to capture the breathtakingly beautiful side of the places he visits inside and outside of the country.
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@L AU R E N E P B AT H
@Z A H A R I Z
@N O I T P I P P O
If you love going to the beaches and long for watery adventures, then his feeds will make you itch for some sand and sea. Almost all of his photos capture the beauty of the ocean, above and under it. He is a Malaysian who has also won the National Geographic photo contest, so this isn’t your average nature photographer.
Lauren Bath was a chef before becoming Australia’s first professional Instagrammer. A self-taught photographer through Instagram, her photos feature vibrant colors that look very dreamy. She loves to inspire people to just go out there and travel, so to those looking for some travel ideas, she is worth a follow.
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@H A N N A H O N E A R T H
Hannah Felice is also a Malaysian full-time traveler and has traveled across the beautiful places in the US with her husband. Her feeds feature amazing adventures, as well as some wonderful stories.
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@C H R I S B U R K A R D
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@WA N D E R R E D S
Chris Burkard is not any ordinary creative entrepreneur. He has a global presence, with nearly 3 million followers on Instagram. He goes to remote, pristine places around the world to showcase their beauty and to inspire people to preserve them. You won’t believe just how beautiful the planet is while you’re looking through the pictures he took.
Alvaro Reds is a man who proves that one can definitely travel while still working 9 to 5. He would travel on days he doesn’t work, including weekends. He has traveled to more than 80 countries, showcasing impressive shots from around the world and giving you some handy travel tips.
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@T R I P H A C K R
Clint Johnston has been traveling for more than a decade and shares very useful tricks and tips in his travel blog posts. He is an avid traveler who aims to maximize experience with minimal spending. His feeds include drone shots that are mesmerizing and will definitely make you crave for an adventure of a lifetime.
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@S T E P H B E T R AV E L
Stephanie Be has been traveling the world in style. Her feeds are a mixture of fun, adventure and luxury. She also has a travel blog where she gives traveling tips, shares interesting stories and she also loves keeping her audience really engaged.
@E X P E R T VA G A B O N D
Matthew Karsten is arguably the most adventurous of the lot. He has fully embraced the nomadic life, traveling from one place to another, not showing any signs of stopping. As a travel adventure photographer, he takes great pictures, and his travel blog is just as inspiring.
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ON THE WIRE
THE L ATEST HAPPENINGS AND EVENTS WITH CFM CFM ENGAGES WITH MALAYSIANS THROUGH TV9 NASI LEMAK KOPI O (NLKO) 10 September 2017 | Sri Pentas, Petaling Jaya
TV9 audiences had an insightful weekend when CFM Council Member, Megat Ishak Maamunor Rashid imparted some useful tips on roaming issues and informed the consumers on the crucial role of CFM. The live interview that took place at NLKO studio from 8.15 am to 8.30 am was mainly targeted to youths and adults across Malaysia, especially communications and multimedia consumers. AN IN TERACTIVE POCK E T TA LK AT MARA 19 September 2017 | Kuala Lumpur
A two-hour session with 25 staffs of Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) enabled CFM to give an in-depth information about the roles and responsibilities of CFM, as well as the rights of communications and multimedia consumers. The Pocket Talk was delivered by the Director of CFM, Ahmad Izham Khairuddin, who also shared telecommunication tips on internet data savings, bill shock precautions, as well as online film and television content alternatives. He also took an initiative to engage with the participants by conducting a multiplayer online classroom quizzes called Quizziz to identify whether the presentation was well understood by the participants. IKIM FM INTERVIEWS C FM 12 October 2017 | Kuala Lumpur
CFM Council Member, Megat Ishak Maamunor Rashid has shared with IKIM FM listeners the roles and responsibilities of CFM, as well as some tips for the New Guidelines on Registration of Prepaid Public Cellular Services. He also told the listeners about consumers’ complaints on false registration of telecommunication services, as well as the top five consumer complaints received by CFM. The live interview was held in the “Warna Pagi” segment with DJ Sufian and DJ Hadhari from 9.30 am to 10.00 am.
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C FM V I S I T S TO MY T V 4 October 2017 | Cyberjaya CFM stepped up in consumer engagement activity through its courtesy visit to MyTV Headquarters. The visit was aimed at a get-to-know session and to strengthen the cooperation between CFM and MyTV Broadcasting Sdn Bhd, particularly in the efforts of consumer outreach and consumer education. The CFM Councilors (term 2015-2017), Director of CFM, and CFM Secretariats from various department joined the visit, and was welcomed by MyTV representatives, Ir. Hj Ismail Haron (Senior Vice President, Customer Support, MYTV Broadcasting) and Hamdan Mohamad (Vice President, Marketing & Communications MYTV). E L E CTIO N O F NE W C FM CO U NC I L M E M B E R S I N C FM 2017 AG M 5 October 2017 | MCMC Cyberjaya
The CFM 2017 Annual Grand Meeting (AGM) saw Mohamad Yusrizal Dato’ Yusoff from Consumer Association Kedah (CAKE) elected as the new CFM Chairman as former Chairman, Megat Ishak Maamunor Rashid ended his tenure and welcomed the new Council members. The new line-up of Council Members include Deputy Chairman, Azizan Mohd Afandi from Altel, Dr Elistina Abu Bakar from Malaysian Consumer and Family Economics Association (MACFEA) as Secretary, as well as the new Treasurer, Mahfuzah Azahari from Maxis. The AGM also accommodated the discussion of the agenda towards protecting consumers’ rights in the communications and multimedia industry.
CFM S H A R E S H A NDY T I P S WITH M ACC FM LI S T E NE R S 9 October 2017 | Putrajaya Director of CFM, Ahmad Izham Khairuddin raised awareness on the roles and responsibilities of CFM, shared the top five complaints received by CFM and some tips on to get the best out of roaming services. The live streaming interview was conducted from 3.00 pm until 4.00 pm to enlighten MACC FM listeners on the issues in the communications and multimedia industry. C FM SH A R E S T H E NE W G U I D E LI NE S O N RE GI ST R AT I O N O F PR E PA I D P U B LI C C E L LU L A R S E R V I C E S 17 October 2017 | MACC Putrajaya
MACC FM listeners got to know some tips on the New Guidelines on Registration of Prepaid Public Cellular Services, and were advised to be aware of the false registration issues. Chairman of CFM, Mohamad Yusrizal Dato’ Yusoff has also informed the listeners about the roles of CFM in the live streaming interview with DJ Dianah from 10.00 am to 11.00 am.
C FM G O E S LI V E AT SEL AMAT PAGI MAL AYSIA 25 October 2017 | Angkasapuri, Kuala Lumpur
Deputy Chairman of CFM, Azizan Mohd Afandi was interviewed by TV1 Selamat Pagi Malaysia hosts regarding the New Guidelines on Registration of Prepaid Public Cellular Services and complaints on false registration of telecommunication services. In the live interview, he also shared the roles and responsibilities of CFM in the communications and multimedia industry.
ON THE WIRE CFM AND UiTM SHAH A L A M PROM OTE S MC O C AT SEL AMAT PAGI MAL AYSIA 29 October 2017 | Angkasapuri, Kuala Lumpur
Chairman of CFM, Mohamad Yusrizal Dato’ Yusoff and the Dean of Faculty of Communication and Media Studies, Prof. Dr Azizul Halim Yahya gave an exposure on the importance of industry engagement with the universities in the live interview with TV1 Selamat Pagi Malaysia. The Mass Communication Carnival (MCoC), an event formed by the collaboration between CFM and the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies of Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Shah Alam has helped to connect university students with the real working world and educate them on the expectations from the industry. CFM’S KSS SEL ANGOR AT MC O C UiTM SHAH AL AM 30 October – 1 November 2017 | Shah Alam, Selangor
E N GAGI NG P O C K E T TA LK AT PE J A B AT S U K N EG E R I S E M B I L A N 13 November 2017 | Seremban, Negeri Sembilan
Director of CFM, Ahmad Izham Khairuddin explained the roles and responsibilities of CFM within the communication and multimedia industry especially in reminding the participants on their rights as consumers. He also shared various telecommunication tips like how to save more internet data, how to avoid bill shock as well as the alternatives for online film and television content. Around 97 staffs of Pejabat SUK Negeri Sembilan joined the talk, where they also got the chance to play Quizizz in order to measure their understanding of the presentation. Quizizz was conducted four times throughout the session from 9.00 am to 10.30 am. CFM A DV I S E S CO NS U M E R S AG A I NS T SC A M M E R S O N T V1 13 November 2017 | Angkasapuri, Kuala Lumpur
Mass Communication Carnival (MCoC), an event organized by the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Shah Alam with the support of CFM, has given an opportunity for students to gain more knowledge on the communications and multimedia industry. CFM has shared beneficial information on the expansion of the communication and multimedia industry in Malaysia from industry players and experts through sharing sessions such as “No more analog system for television broadcasting”, “How to be a smarter Telco user” and “What consumers need to know of mobile content services”. The event has served as a platform for the students to connect with the industry as well as to get to know the roles of CFM in protecting consumer rights.
The “Suara Kita Hak Kita” on TV1 show host interviewed Deputy Chairman of CFM, Azizan Mohd Afandi and criminology expert Datuk Akhbar Satar to give exposure on scam syndicates. Consumers were reminded to be aware of the scammers who are found to use the element of “urgency” to scare victims into conniving acts such as “Caller ID Spoofing”. Azizan has also recommended some actions should be taken by consumers should they ever received fake SMSes, calls or emails. He also shared some tips to be vigilant and protect personal data. C FM H O S T S K S S I N PE R LI S 15 November 2017 | Hotel Seri Malaysia, Kangar, Perlis
AN IN-DEPTH INTERV I E W AT M A RKE T TA LK, ASTRO AWANI 27 November 2017 | Kuala Lumpur
Deputy Chairman of CFM, Azizan Mohd Afandi shared some significant details on current communications and multimedia issues particularly the New Guidelines on Registration of Prepaid Public Cellular Services and sim cards false registrations. The interview was also aimed at raising awareness on the roles of CFM. The show was aired at 11.00 pm on Astro AWANI hosted by Ibrahim Sani.
C FM R E AC H E S S T U D E N TS AN D STAFFS OF UiTM K A M P U S R E M B AU 9 December 2017 | UiTM Cawangan Negeri Sembilan, Rembau
As a part of a bigger program called “Seminar Komunikasi Islam”, CFM organized its Pocket Talk in front of 245 participants in Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Rembau. Head of Department, Stakeholder Management Department (SMD) of CFM, Kartini Hasbi started the presentation with an explanation on the roles and responsibilities of CFM within the communication and multimedia industry in Malaysia especially in reminding the participants on their rights as consumers. Besides that, she has also given the audiences various telecommunication tips. A number of lecturers and students came to meet the secretariat after the session to inquire more about billing and charging, network coverage, and unfair practices by the service providers. C FM R E AC H E S M O R E U N I VE RSI T Y S T U D E NT S AT U PM 21 December 2017 | UPM Serdang
CFM was invited to organized a Pocket Talk in a program called “Cabaran Pengguna Dalam Dunia Komunikasi dan Multimedia” in Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM). This program was conducted by one of CFM members, The Malaysian Consumer and Family Economics Association (MACFEA). CFM Councilor, Abdul Rahman Samad from Pertubuhan Pembimbing, Kewangan Pengguna & Keluarga Malaysia (KPM) presented CFM in an one-hour session in front of the staffs and students of UPM. Apart from sharing the roles and responsibilities of CFM, he emphasized that consumers must rise to uphold their rights as consumers to ensure that service providers will not take for granted any of the complaints raised by the consumers. He added that consumers must always help each other especially the old folks who are not exposed to good understanding of the telecommunication services.
About 200 participants from government agencies, local NGOs and media members attended the Knowledge Sharing Session (KSS) to get more information on relevant topics such as “Tips on saving your telco monthly commitment”, “The end of analogue system and the beginning of digital system for television broadcast”, and “E-commerce” delivered by CFM and invited speakers from Ministry of Domestic Trade, Co-Operatives and Consumerism (KPDNKK) and MYTV Broadcasting. QUARTER FOUR 201 7
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SOCIAL MEDIA LIFE
QUIRKY AND INTERESTING SOCIAL MEDIA APPS TO CHECK OUT Binky App The app for antisocial people Binky app is a social media app that doesn’t have the socializing part. It works just like any social media where you can scroll through the “binks,” the name for posts on Binky. You can also like, comment and “re-bink” the binks. And just like Tinder, you can swipe left to signal unsavory and swipe right to signal approval. But whatever you do on Binky means nothing, literally. All the likes or comments will disappear right after you clicked or posted them. It is kind of like a rescuer app to save you from awkward eye-contacts without having to face the negativity of other social media. The binks contain only random pictures with banal captions like “cow” or “shoes” and when you “like” them, an explosion of stars unleashes. For those interested, Binky is only available on iOS but will roll out on Android soon. Minutiae The mundane Instagram In contrast to Instagram, it doesn’t capture “events” but the “in-between moments” of life. This app will give you a notification at a random time in a day for you to capture the moment of your life at that particular time, with only five seconds to do so. If you don’t have anything lined up, it’ll automatically capture it anyway. After you take each photo, you’ll be able to briefly scroll through another random person’s collection for a minute. It’s anonymous and the only thing you can know about the other person is the location. So this social media platform doesn’t have profiles, likes or comments but there is, somehow, a social side of it. After 1,440 days, which means after you’ve completed 24 hours of your life second-by-second, you’ll be able to download your entire collection. It’s almost the same as Facebook giving you a flashback of a certain event in life, but it’s a more honest chronicle of our lives - no filter, no editing, no likes, no pretense. The creators of the app, a photographer and another one an artist and film-maker, described the app as “your automated self-portrait. Real life. Uncurated. Unfiltered. Unfollowed.” Now if you’re already interested, there’s a catch. The app costs $15, since they don’t make money from your data or images. Currently, it’s only available on the Apple App Store. HearMeOut The “Twitter-for-voice” app If you like to sing, rap, be a newscaster from your bedroom, or just rant about things and want the world to hear it, your app is here. The app lets you post 42-second video recordings and share them to your other social media. You can also browse trending topics on HearMeOut, like politics, wisdom, accents or just music. The app has voice filters too, so you can have fun dressing up your voice. The social media app is quite new to the scene but is fast gaining attention, boasting more than a hundred thousand downloads and a 4.2 stars rating. The app is free on both App Store and Play Store.
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TOP GEAR
WHY IS MY INTERNET AT HOME SO SLOW? Most of us have faced this problem some time or another in our lives and we get so frustrated about it, especially after making a complaint to our service provider but there is still no change. Well, SHOUT! would like to share with you some new devices that might help improve your internet speed at home without the intervention of your service provider! Sometimes, the wireless router provided by your service provider is not able to cater to the myriad of connected devices at home, this includes the laptops, the smartphones, the gaming consoles, the Smart TVs etc. This wireless router sometimes needs to be changed or maybe to be supported by other devices to meet the growing needs of your household. As the service providers will only provide basic connectivity to your home, here are some off-the-shelf devices that you might want to consider. By: Ahmad Izham Khairuddin
T R I-B A N D W I R E L E S S R O U T E R S When dual band routers can no longer do the job, these tri-band ones will help smoothen things up. This is especially true if you have multiple devices that are new and able to handle 5GHz Wi-Fi. Wireless HD video streaming on these devices should be a breeze with this type of router.
ASUS Router RT-AC5300 Wireless -AC5300 Tri-Band Gigabit Router https://www.asus.com/my/Networking/ RT-AC5300/
WIRELESS RANGE EXTENDER/ ACCESS POINT Wi-Fi signals can be blocked by walls or household equipment and the quality of the signal degrades over distance. There are instances where you might need to boost the Wi-Fi signal so that it reaches that room at the farthest corner of your house. This is where these wireless range extenders come in!
TP-LINK AC2600 Wi-Fi Range ExtenderRE650 http://www.tp-link.com/my/products/ details/cat-10_RE650.html
W H O L E H O M E W I-F I S Y S T E M There are some of us who frown at the sight of a wireless router with their weird looking antennas. For those looking at having good Wi-Fi coverage all around the house but also want to make sure that whatever equipment needed fits the dĂŠcor and room colour can now opt for a whole home Wi-Fi system.
ASUS LYRA AC2200 Tri-Band Whole-Home Mesh Wi-Fi System (for large homes), with AiProtection network security powered by Trend Micro, ASUS Lyra App and Advanced Parental Control. https://www.asus.com/my/Networking/ Lyra/
D-LINK DIR-895L AC5300 Ultra Wi-Fi Tri-Band Wireless Router http://www.dlink.com.my/product/dir895l-ac5300-wireless-tri-band-gigabitrouter/
TP-LINK Archer C3200 AC3200 Wireless Tri-Band Gigabit Router http://www.tp-link.com/my/products/ details/Archer-C3200.html
D-Link DAP-1720 AC1750 Wireless Range Extender http://w w w.dlink.com.my/product/ ac1750-wireless-range-extender/
TP-Link Deco M5 Whole-Home Wi-Fi System Deco is the whole-home Wi-Fi solution with the most comprehensive security. It delivers fast, uninterrupted Wi-Fi to every room by harnessing the power of three separate AC1300 units for up to 4,500 sq. ft. of seamless coverage. Deco is also easy to set up and grows as you add devices to your home. And Deco is backed by the industry’s only 24/7 lifetime support. ht t p : / / w w w. t p - link . com / my / home networking/deco/
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THE WORD
THE WORD WITH RHYS WILLIAM For Rhys William, his travel journey has definitely taken him home. This British guy is famous for his brilliant command of the Malay language, and is enjoying his time trying the best food in Malaysia. It’s not an overstatement to say, he is quite more local than the locals.
1. How did you end up choosing Malaysia as your home? I first came to Malaysia on Holiday in 2012 for two weeks. I immediately fell in love with the country and decided to stay longer and even try living here. There was something about the atmosphere, the people, and the food that I felt two weeks wasn’t enough to truly explore. So in 2013 I came back and stayed for two months, and that two months quickly turned into four months, and now after almost five years later I’m still here!
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2. What was the biggest challenge in learning Bahasa Melayu (BM) and how did you overcome it? The biggest challenge in learning BM was picking up the local slang (as there is a big difference between “textbook/baku” language and the “day to day/bahasa pasar” language). I overcame this by making friends with the locals, and asking them to teach me the “slang”. I also made an effort to speak BM at every possible opportunity. Another hard part was actually getting the courage to go out and speak the language to the locals, as I’m naturally quite a shy person. The way I overcame this was to just “selamber je” and speak BM at every possible opportunity and make an effort to speak even though I was shy. I also started my blog (www.matsallehcarimakan.com) which I asked people to read and give feedback. After I started getting positive comments in real life and on my blog, it gave me the confidence and motivation to keep on learning and speaking the language.
THE WORD 3. What’s your favorite Malay word/phrase? There’s a lot to choose from in all honesty, and I’m a big fan of peribahasa and perumpamaan, because they can be used as metaphors to describe different situations or actions. However if I have to pick one it would be “durian runtuh”. I like this one as it shows just how much Malaysians love durian, that “durian runtuh” can mean “an unexpected profit”. 4. Who do you consider as an icon? I have a lot of icons, inside and outside of Malaysia. Out of all of Malaysian icons, if I had to pick one, it would most likely be P. Ramlee. The reason being is his works are timeless masterpieces admired by all Malaysians. I really believe his contributions to the entertainment industry is what has helped to shape the industry today. Many of his films are some of the first BM films I watched when learning the language, and the jokes could still be considered funny today. I also admire him as he is a household name, and his legacy has lived on well past his passing. 5. Your favorite place in Malaysia? Why? I’m a guy who loves to eat, so some of my favorite places in Malaysia are out of the city where you can find authentic and traditional delicacies. I love Penang, due to the amount of great food you can find there; and I also really like Kuching, Sarawak, again because of the food! 6. Your favorite Malaysian food is…. Again, there is a lot to choose from! If I had to pick one of my favorite food though it would definitely be Nasi Kerabu. The first time I tried it in Kelantan I couldn’t really understand why the rice was blue. Once I learned that the rice was soaked with a certain flower (Butterfly-Pea flower) to give it the blue colour, and there is a also special technique to eat it (you have to mix all the ingredients together), it quickly became my favorite dish, and no matter how many times I eat it, I still love it! 7. Your first handphone was… My first handphone was a Nokia 3310 back when I was in school. I remember it was the size of a brick and as heavy as a rock, but you could play “Snake” on it and it was considered “cool” at the time because you could change the cases.
8. Your travel gadgets are… I always make sure I carry my mobile phone and my powerbank. I know that in most places I go, I can use my phone to find useful information or do some research, so making sure I carry my powerbank is a must! 9. Are you an Android or Apple fanboy? I’m an Android guy. I’ve used Apple in the past but always found it to be lacking the features I need and was hard to use. Android offers far more features and customization so I can personalize my phone. 10. Five must-have apps on your phone? WhatsApp, Google Maps, Facebook, Instagram and Gmail. 11. First thing that you check on your smartphone when you wake up? The first thing I do usually is checking my WhatsApp to make sure I haven’t missed any important messages for the day ahead. Most of my communication is through WhatsApp, so it’s important to stay on top of this. 12. Your favorite social media platform is… I really like Facebook as you can engage and talk with lots of people. A lot of my Malaysian friends and followers are on Facebook. One of the first places I started posting and writing in BM was on my Facebook, and that’s one of the ways I managed to meet and make friends with local people, as well as get feedback on my BM. 13. Three words that describe you Foodie, Adventurous, Open-minded. 14. Which would you choose, a phone with awesome camera or long-lasting battery life? I would choose the long-lasting battery life. I use my phone a lot, and the battery is often running out. Even with a normal camera you can still edit photos to make them look nicer, but if your battery runs out you can’t take any photos at all!
15. What is your favorite pastime? Aside from visiting new places and trying different foods, I quite like outdoor activities such as camping and hiking. 16. To relieve stress, I will… I will usually go hiking for a few days with a group of friends. The time away from the city and the smell of the jungle are an instant stress reliever. 17. If you could be transported to a place in time, where would it be and why? I would love to travel back in time, say 20-50 years ago, and see Malaysia in its early days and early stages of development. I think it would make a great contrast to see how Malaysia was back then and how the development of the country has changed. 18. What is your most memorable travel experience? My most memorable travel experience was shortly after I moved to Malaysia in 2013 I rented a car and did a road trip around the Peninsular. In just over one week I managed to cover all of the Peninsular states, and it was amazing. I loved the varying scenery, and of course the opportunity to try each of the state’s famous dishes. I think this road trip was one of the things that really made me fall in love with Malaysia, as I got to visit and experience outside of the city and in the “kampung”. 19. Have you ever had any problems with your telco service? Are you aware of CFM and how it can help act as an intermediary in resolving service issues with telcos and other service providers? So far I haven’t had any serious problems with my telco service. Most of the time things can be settled easily by popping into their store. I wasn’t aware that CFM can help as an intermediary, although I know now! 20. What do you think about the internet service in Malaysia? I like the internet service here. Usually wherever I go there is 4G or 3G service. The fixed line internet in the city is quite fast.
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ISSUE OF THE QUARTER
SCAM CALLS AND HOW TO DEAL WITH THEM! As our lives are becoming more dependent on our smartphones, it is only natural that crooks and thieves now use this platform for their nefarious deeds to try and part us with our hard earned money. We now live at a time where we can no longer just ignore calls from people we don’t actually know and hope that will be the end of it.
Incoming call
Unknown 123-456-7890
SCAM
ALERT
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In recent months, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of grouses and complaints from mobile consumers about the spam and scam calls that they have been receiving. It would seem that there has been a sudden surge in unsolicited calls to our mobile numbers from people trying to sell us something to those pretending to be from banks or the authorities asking us to take action on a serious legal matter. Instead of becoming lambs to the slaughter, we should take the initiative and protect ourselves from these “digital villains” and SHOUT! would like to show you how to do this. By: Ahmad Izham Khairuddin
W H AT T O L O O K O U T F O R ! It is sometimes difficult to distinguish between genuine and scam calls. However, if the caller tells you any of the following, you have every right to be suspicious. • Request for your personal data (such as your identity card number or your credit card number) to verify your identity. • Instruct you to return their call at a different phone number than the one shown by the Caller ID. • Claim you have won a prize, contest, or other items of value but need you to provide details of your bank account or make some payment to facilitate the claims process. • Claims that you have unpaid fees or fine that you need to pay on the same day to avoid legal action. • Request to verify a PIN code sent to your phone without you having personally initiated an update to an account, service, or profile.
W H AT T O D O I F Y O U R E C E I V E A S U S P I C I O U S C A L L ! It is sometimes difficult to distinguish between genuine and scam calls. However, do take note of the following clues: • Never reveal any personal details or details of any of your accounts to the other person even if it is to verify your identity. Instead, inform the caller that you will call back with the details, making sure that you call a phone number that has been verified as legitimate, either through the official website of your service provider or from a contract or bill that you have with you.
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• Avoid saying the word “yes” when asked a question but instead answer using a full sentence as most of these calls are recorded and they might use the recording as proof of your agreement to a subscription or purchase. • Make sure you record the phone conversation using your smartphone in case you need it as proof for any related disputes. Your smartphone should be able to do this in the settings or you can also install some apps for this purpose.
• Request for their name and designation, including their full organisation name. • Request for full details of the reason why they are calling you; if it is for an outstanding debt, ask for the contract number, when it was signed, what was the total amount, what was the address listed on the contract, etc. • If you are confident that it was a scam call, lodge a police report and provide the telephone recording any notes that you have taken to facilitate the police in their investigations.
• The most important thing is to resist being pressured to provide any of your personal details or related information, even when harassed to do so. Stand firm with your stand of calling back with the necessary information. • Stay informed of the latest scams by paying attention to public service announcements or those by your service providers.
ISSUE OF THE QUARTER T H I S I S W H AT Y O U S H O U L D D O F R O M N O W O N !
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The simplest way to deal with unwanted or scam calls is to NOT answer them. This should be easy since the caller ID function on your mobile phone usually indicates who is calling you and from there you are able to see if it is a recognizable number or not. By not answering numbers that do not belong to your internal phonebook list, you have solved part of the problem. However, to make this work for important calls that you might receive, you have to make sure that important numbers are stored in your internal phonebook list. These numbers may include the numbers to all your service providers (telcos, banks, utility companies, yours and spouse office numbers, children’s school numbers, etc.). With this done, you can calmly and happily do any of the following when an unrecognized number calls: CANCEL, LET IT RING or DIVERT IT TO YOUR VOICE MAILBOX. If you are still not too sure of using this tip, the best is always to divert these calls to your voice mailbox. That way, if the call is important enough, the caller would leave a message that you can retrieve later.
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The other way that scammers can still try to get to you is by leaving a voice message that sounds important enough for you to return their call. Then again, refer to the identifying scam calls section to gauge whether you are dealing with one or not. In this instance, when calling back, there are a few things that you can do to verify the authenticity of the person you are calling.
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Always do a reverse search of the number that they are asking you to call back. The easiest way to do this is by putting the number through Google Search or you can go directly to SEARCH YELLOW DIRECTORY or FINDWHOCALLSME or even WHOCALLSME and key in the suspicious number. These online websites would have a section for Malaysian local numbers where you can find out if the number calling you has been doing the rounds with other people as well.
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As mentioned earlier, you can also rely on mobile apps such as Truecaller. Nomorombo or numerous other apps to help you identify who is calling you and also to block numbers that keep calling you. Some apps also help identify scam calls via crowdsourced data. Do your research and install the right app for your needs.
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LET IT RING
DIVERT IT TO YOUR VOICE MAILBOX
Truth be told, scammers still might find a way around this and it is usually either one of two. The first one is that they use the call spoofing method whereby they manipulate their caller ID to match that of a service provider in your phonebook list. Since you already have that number stored, you will normally think that it is safe to answer the call. In this case, please refer back to the section about identifying scam calls mentioned earlier. If you fiddle with your phone settings long enough, you might even find an option to let only calls from you phonebook list to go through while the rest either gets rejected or forwarded to your voicemail.
While not giving away your mobile number to any Tom, Dick and Harry is still the best option, you still want to get the freebies and the discounts but not at all comfortable at giving away your personal mobile number for fear of getting harassed. Well, there are a few ways for you to still get those freebies and discounts by using alternative numbers. One free option is to register for Google Voice and get a local US number for free although registering for one is a bit tricky but not impossible. Having a local US number might also discourage telemarketing and spam callers from harassing you. Even if they did, you can safely let those calls be forwarded to the voicemail.
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Other ways to get an alternative number is through Skype and other similar apps like Burner, Hushed or Too but these are paid services. The easiest way to get an alternative number is subscribe to a postpaid service with a local service provider and there are some that offer plans at less than RM10 per month. Having an alternative number allows you to use this number for any requirements with regards to contests, discounts, online forms and subscriptions, or other similar usage. So, if you receive any calls to this other number, you can be sure that it is from someone or some organisation that you have given it freely to and can safely ignore if you so do wish.
I F A L L E L S E FA I L S ! If you find yourself having to answer one unwanted call too many, you might want to consider changing your number completely, and this time, guard this new number as a very private and close secret. That free powerbank offer in exchange for your phone number might not be worth it after all.
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APPZONE
T E N T R AV E L A P P S F O R T H E T E C H-S AV V Y T R AV E L E R S Whether it’s to marvel at architectural excellence or to just enjoy the soothing sun and sea, embrace the future and use these apps to make your holiday a breeze. All available on Android and iOS.
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AIRASIAGO
This app offers hotels and flights bookings with low price. To top it off, it offers even lower prices when you book both of them in a package. It also has mobile exclusive deals with up to 70% savings on hotel bookings, itineraries and real-time notifications of flight status with gate and terminal details.
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HOPPER
If you want to compare flights prices, this is the app for you. Hopper predicts how flight prices will change and notifies you when to buy your tickets. It covers over 250 carriers from North America, Europe and Asia.
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HOTELS COMBINED
With a myriad of apps that enable you to book a hotel room, HotelsCombined can help to end the confusion by showing you the places and prices from lots of other sources. Once you picked a deal, you’ll be directed to the website that holds the details (like Hotels. com for instance) which is accessible in the app itself so everything stays easy and neat.
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CURRENSEEK
Finding the best currency exchange rates can be quite a hassle especially when you’re in a foreign country. With Currenseek, travelers can easily compare updated rates around them, and get directions to the money changers, no matter how hidden.
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FLEXIROAM X
If you love to hop between countries and stay connected all the time, buying lots of local sims might not be very practical. With Flexiroam X, all you have to do is attach its thin microchip over your own sim and just switch between the two whenever you need to. The coverage is available in over 100 countries which includes a 4G speed where available.
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GUIDES BY L O N E LY PL ANET
The app is a digital take on the paperback guides published by Lonely Planet. It provides guides to over 100 cities and are broken down into sections like places to stay, dine and other city highlights. Each city also has a “need to know” guide and a budget calculator.
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APP IN THE AIR
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TRIPLINGO
Simply put, it has all the digital needs of jetsetters. Flight number, departure times, ticket details and even Auto Check-in are available in the app. In addition to that, it tracks any flight delays and by inputting contact details of those waiting for your arrival, the app will send real-time updates so they know when exactly you’ll land. Hopper has in-app purchases, but are worth the price especially for frequent flyers.
This voice translator app comes along with other convenient features for travelers like currency converter, cultural information and even free international calls too. TripLingo also has a dictionary of over 10,000 words that is available offline.
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TRIPOVO
This app is almost like a digital travel agent. It provides you with a customized travel experiences which enables you to book a trip, tour packages, hotels and itineraries in minutes. It also offers advice from online companies. The only catch is it only offers popular destinations.
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SWORKIT
If you’re a traveler who loves to workout, this app will make working out easy to fit in your hectic schedule. You can schedule your own workout time with a focus on yoga, cardio, stretching or strength training.
D I G I TA L L I F E
C L E V E R WAY S T O R E U S E YO U R SMART DEVICE No matter how much we love our smartphones, they are not meant to last forever. After a few years, our little magical slabs are bound to show some wear and tear. But with such advanced tech embedded in them, it’s better to be creative and put them to good use.
AL ARM CLOCK This is probably the most obvious option there is. But with a myriad of clock apps to choose from, a smartphone would make a much more versatile alarm clock than the traditional bedside tick-tocker. The big display can deliver some state-of-the-art graphics, and it comes with many features such as snooze button, volume fade and much more. Sure, you have your new phone but why waste the battery? Put it to where it belongs and use the old device as a dedicated alarm clock.
M U S I C P L AY E R
CONTRIBUTE IT TO SCIENCE If your ancient smart device can still be turned on, it’s still powerful. Rather than letting the unused resources go to waste, why not let the advancement of human knowledge harness its power. But this option is only available for Android devices. Simply download the BOINC app, and choose the project you would want to participate in. You can donate in the study of diseases, or even help in predicting global warming. The app is developed by University of Berkeley and it would harness the unused computing power for crowdsourced science. It would only work when your phone is plugged in and charged so the app won’t drain your battery. Plus, it only runs over Wi-Fi so there’s no need to worry about data limit or network coverage.
HOME SECURIT Y CAMERA
If you have a number of unused smart devices at home, you can turn them into a multi-faceted piece of wall art. Just in case you’re bored of the framed still images and been wanting a modern vibe to your home, use the big screens to showcase a slideshow of pictures or a meditative video art.
Again, yes you can use your new smart device but there are advantages to having two separate devices. Firstly, it would declutter the precious storage on your new smartphone. And secondly, it saves battery so it makes sense to play your favourite music on your daily commute using an old device since a smartphone’s juice would usually drain out by the end of the day. If you have subscribed to any streaming music services, you wouldn’t even need a network coverage on the old device. Just download your favourite playlists at home over Wi-Fi, and say goodbye to boring radio ads.
WA L L A R T
Old smart devices are definitely a cheaper option to monitor your house. All you need is a camera security app and a wall socket to set it up. The footages can be streamed remotely from your smartphone as the viewer. Apps like Alfred Home Security Camera can detect motions and you’ll get notifications about it on your viewer phone too.
But there’s still one flaw needed to be fixed, which is the battery life span. Perhaps you can charge the smart devices elsewhere and only use them when you have guests, or just set them up near an available outlet. It takes minimal effort and with a little creativity, it brightens up the living space too.
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HANDS ON
TOP COMPLAINTS BY CONSUMERS IN 2017 So far for the year 2017, the total number of complaints received by CFM was 4,746. Out of all the categories of complaints, around 39% was about bill and charging, partly because of billing dispute. So if you are grappling with bad telecommunication issues, especially regarding bill and charging, you are clearly not alone. BILL & CHARGING
39.25% ∙ 1,669 TOP 5 COMPL AINTS RECEIVED BY C F M I N 2 017 29.33% ∙ 1,247
NETWORK 6.94% ∙ 295
SERVICE DELIVERY
5.27% ∙ 224
U N FA I R P R A C T I C E
19.21% ∙ 817
This can happen when consumers do not fully understand their agreements with the service providers, or undeniably, when service providers did not give proper explanations about the billing mechanisms, account termination processes, and the like. In any issues that arise from communications and multimedia services, consumers should first attempt to resolve the problem with their service providers before they consider filling a complaint with anyone. However, when solutions offered are not satisfactory, CFM can help to resolve the issue, just like in this one complainant’s tricky situation here:
M I S R E P R E S E N TAT I O N O F S E R V I C E
Q: I have received a call from my previous service provider informing me about my due payment. It is ridiculous as I have terminated my internet subscription with them and transferred the existing services to my current service provider. After that, I have also received another call claiming that if I don’t settle my due payment, I would be summoned to court. What action should I take? In this case, the complainant’s account was terminated but he did not receive the last account statement from the service provider. He was also blacklisted for failing to pay an outstanding bill. Originally, he was required to pay as the charges were valid. However, in consideration of CFM recommendation, the problem has been resolved amicably.
C F M’ S T I P S T O C O N S U M E R S Here are some useful advice in getting your money’s worth from any subscriptions:
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Understand what you subscribe to, such as what’s included and what’s not included in the package. Pay attention to the details like free calls/ SMS, unlimited calls/SMS, speed offered and total data allocated. Make sure that you know your billing mechanism, that is your credit limit, reconnection free, advance fee and your account billing cycle. Ensure that you received upfront critical information when signing up for any service about such as what service is offered, pricing and charges, as well as important terms and conditions, like the termination procedure.
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Seek clarification from your service provider on any uncertainty about billing and charging. Always validate charges and transactions on your account statement. Many service providers now have free online channel, for instance, their mobile apps or online customer service portal. In the event of account termination, get a copy of termination confirmation from the service provider and ask for a final bill to be sent to your contact preference. Always consult your former service provider just in case you did not receive account statement after the bill due date.
TUTORIAL
CLEAR UP THE DIGITAL STASH - 5 E A S Y WAY S T O GET TO CLOUD STORAGE Thanks to the development of cloud storage, plugging and unplugging USB thumb drives has never gotten any more uncommon. Most people are already familiar with the basics of cloud technology - the online data storage and processing that can be accessed, and shared, from just about anywhere. Cloud storage services provide a smooth access to your important digital assets - your photos, videos, word docs and PDFs, just to name a few. Problems would arise when the service that we would always use, like Google Drive, is running out of space. Businesses would opt for paid cloud storage services as the large reserve is very necessary, but undeniably, for much leisure use, people would want it for free. So, for individuals who need huge and of course, free storage space, here are some alternative cloud services you can use: 1. W P S O F F I C E F R E E C L O U D STORAGE This free office suite is an impressive Microsoft Office clone. If you want a cloud storage just to save text documents, this is an easy choice. The features include a cloud support of 1 GB. It is not much, but it is pretty decent to save your text documents and PDFs. It is also easy to use, just click “Save As” on WPS Office as usual and your document is saved on its server.
2 . M E G A This cloud storage provides a generous 50 GB of free space, and the mobile app version is available for iOS, Android, Windows Phone and Blackberry users. You can just upload, download and search for your files with ease. You can also take photos directly from the Mega app on your phone, so your photos will be directly saved on its server.
3. M E D I A F I R E MediaFire online storage service provides free 50 GB cloud storage space, if not more. Once you sign up for a free account, you will get 10 GB upfront, and you can get more free storage by inviting friends or posting MediaFire links on social media. MediaFire mobile apps are available on Android, iOS and Windows Phone. As for link sharing, your recipients won’t have to create a MediaFire account to view and download your files as viewers will be taken right to the download link. 4. G O O G L E P H O T O S This one is available on both Android and iOS. For iOS, it also supports Live Photos. The only downside to the unlimited photo and video backup service is that the photos have to be less than 16 megapixels, and it would downgrade videos shot above 1080p to qualify for the free storage. Fun part is that if you have many videos to upload to your YouTube channel, you can directly upload them from Google Photos. In addition, there is also a feature on the app to delete the local version of your files, under the “Free Up Space” option, to save up precious device storage space. 5 . pC LO U D pCloud offers up to 20 GB free cloud storage. You will get 10 GB free storage once you sign up for an account, while to get more you have to do certain things, like sending invites to friends, or like the pCloud Facebook page. You can share folders and files with anyone and copy social media photos to the account, which comes in handy in certain situations. It is available as a mobile app, web interface as well as in desktop application. To top it off, it has no file size limits, and supports offline files.
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