GEORGE TOWN, September 28 – The Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) has raised concerns over the recurring problem of green and pink lines appearing on smartphone screens, calling on the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNKSH) to investigate this matter. Smartphone owners have reported these lines as a manufacturing defect and expressed dissatisfaction with being asked to pay for repairs by dealers, especially when the devices are no longer under warranty. A quick online search reveals numerous similar complaints. In one instance, a smartphone owner was required to pay RM 1149.80 for repairs when their RM4,000 device had surpassed its warranty period.
It has been reported that in countries like India and Korea, free screen replacements are provided, even after the warranty has expired. CAP emphasizes that manufacturers should take responsibility for repairing these defects at no cost to the consumers since they are product or manufacturing issues. It’s imperative for KPDNKSH to intervene and ensure that smartphone manufacturers do not impose these repair costs on consumers, even when the warranty has lapsed. The reason is that these inherent defects were present and waiting for the right conditions to manifest, unrelated to misuse or normal wear and tear.
If service centers in India can offer free screen replacements, there is no reason why Malaysia cannot do the same. KPDNKSH may consider adopting practices from countries that enforce product recalls for defective items. Such measures would be fair to consumers who may otherwise only seek recourse through the Tribunal for Consumer Claims Malaysia (TTPM).
