Consumer Rights

I bought this pot aka the rice cooker under the brand name Philips from Best Denki in OU on September 7, 2008. This brand must be super powerful as it does not only cook the rice under 10 minutes but also burns it to crisp.

Make a trip back to Best Denki on September 14, 2008 to complain about my predicament. As expected they give me the run around, insisting that goods bought cannot be exchanged despite their fault. Of course they touched my sore button once they said that, so I gave them an ultimatum. I will take the pot back, however if the burning continues, they will have to exchange it with another product of my choice FOC, pay for my patrol as well as parking. Or take this faulty pot back and allow me to purchase another pot whereby I will pay the difference in price. It was no go for them.

So the next best thing to do is to raise my voice, another higher level staff was sent to attend to me. I looked at him and told him straight away that I do not wish to get angry, convey my predicament all over again not forgetting my option, and to my surprise he told the sales girl to replace the pot (same model of course), and walked away with the excuse that he was busy. Ok whatever.

The sales girl whose finger nails were longer then the claws of a tiger immediately irritated me (bulan puasa dosa betul aku), changed the pot tested it and told me that you are the only complainant that we have got so far. Really? You think I am nuts or what? Ignoring all this I asked her what if my rice got burnt again? Her reply was then we cannot help it anymore. Fine, I took the new pot and left.

Monday evening I took the pot out of the box, read every instruction there is on the leaflet in order not to miss anything, as though this is my first rice cooker. I even cooked extra rice thinking that may be when you cook more it will not burn. Well my rice was burnt again and this time round I even have to plug it off from keeping warm.

About 10 minutes before I left for my class, I called Best Denki requesting to speak to the manager. Response was the manager is busy; ok put me to someone lower than the manager. To this request I was put on hold for about 8 minutes before a man’s voice came over the phone. After the first hello I asked him for his name, he was Hamid. Upon finishing the reiteration of my predicament, I told him of my option. One I will call FOMCA and two I will have this matter published in the paper. He went silent, then apologized and finally told me that you can come and choose any pot that you like and just pay the difference.

Do I have to use threats before I can claim my right? Welcome to Malaysia.