Thursday, August 26, 2010

誰來賠償民眾的損失?

誰來賠償民眾的損失?
2010-08-26 19:10

民事高庭星期三針對4年前轟動全國的雪州沙登大眾銀行保險庫爆竊案的首宗訴訟,作出標誌性裁決;指該銀行並沒有犯下疏忽錯誤,無需對起訴人作出損失賠償。這項裁決是一個關鍵,對接下來的其餘35名等待裁決的保險箱租戶的訴訟起著重要影響。起訴人已經準備提出上訴。

這宗案件並非國內第一宗銀行保險庫爆竊案,1993年雪州加影馬婆金融和1995年吉隆坡蕉賴友力花園馬來亞金
融是之前發生的其中兩宗。馬婆金融案發後,保險箱租戶成立了索償委員會,爭取合理賠償,金融公司亦成立特別委員會與租戶交涉。金融公司隨後委任一家國際損失估計公司評估及訪問受害者設定賠償額,租戶們雖然不滿意賠償額偏低,唯無奈接受之。至於馬來亞金融,租戶則選擇到法庭起訴金融,高庭隨後宣判金融疏忽,必須對租戶負起全部責任。

無獨有偶,馬來亞金融和大眾銀行同樣是沒有安排保安人員駐守保險庫,僅安裝了先進保安公司提供的警鈴系統。然而,裁決卻不一樣。當時法官裁決馬來亞金融沒確定保安裝置的有效性,因此疏忽;而大眾銀行案中的法官接受了銀行報告內容,採用電子警報系統比保安人員來得有效。

無論如何,金融機構通常是竊賊下手的目標,尤其目前在科技和通訊設備發達下,許多銀行都有提供顧客24小時電子服務,存款機和提款機不時成為竊賊盜竊對象,前往使用服務的顧客也暴露於危險之中,因此金融機構有必要加強保安,保障本身及顧客的財物及生命安全。

除了保安問題,在類似案件中更值得我們探討的是銀行與租戶間的契約關係和相互責任。馬婆金融案發後,時任財政部政務次長莫斯達化當時曾指出,按照條例,金融機構是沒有責任為受破壞或者損失的任何物件作出賠償。當時許多公眾都不知道有類似條例存在。在個別金融機構的保險箱合約,容或有條文誌明金融並不負責存放物件之任何損失,然而許多金融公司一般都沒有向客戶說明條文的存在。類似條例和金融的手法實對顧客極不公平。公眾正是因為對金融有所信任,認為有所保障,才將本身的貴重物品交托保管,金融在有任何損失下可以跳脫責任,保險箱豈有保險可言?

不過,財政部在馬來亞金融案後採取了補救措施,在新措施下,金融機構將會為每一個保險箱投保一定數額的保險金,如果租戶存放超過有關數額,則需自行承擔風險,或另行購買保險。這項安排是合理的。在大眾銀行案中,銀行和租戶確有簽署這項合約,而銀行指租戶的存放數額超過銀行承擔的數額,所以銀行無需負責;租戶方面則指保險公司基於銀行已經投保,拒絕讓他們增加投保。在這樣的情況下,無疑考驗銀行與客戶的關係,而基於企業社會責任以及服務精神,銀行應該與客戶進行良好協商,以確保雙方都得益。

不過,值得關注的是,另有指銀行保險箱協議書條文仍未落實修改,租戶依然處於不利地位。這是否意味著上述措施只是個別金融機構有在執行?在大眾銀行案有了第一項裁決之後,財政部、國行等相關單位須針對銀行保險箱保安措施,以及租戶的保障作出進一步解釋和指示,對廣大民眾作出交待。儘管不少銀行有感於保險箱服務並沒有為銀行帶來太大利潤和須負上重大責任,已經不再提供類似服務,然而公眾對類似服務依然有其需求,加上特別是現在銀行的服務呈多元化,銀行提昇及加強服務還是有其必要性,以維繫銀行與客戶的良好關係。
星洲日報/社論‧2010.08.26

撬開打金廠鐵夾萬 飛天賊掃走200萬金飾

更新: August 26, 2010 17:50

撬開打金廠鐵夾萬
飛天賊掃走200萬金飾

獨家報導:關金芝

(巴生26日訊)飛天賊爆竊打金廠,掃走總值200萬令吉金條及金飾!

這起竊案于本月15日,在巴生南方鎮一間三層店屋的打金廠發生。

據悉,至少2名竊賊,凌晨摸黑破開3樓頂層天花板,潛入辦事處,使用燒焊器弄開一個鐵夾萬,取走內裡所有貴重金飾物件。

竊賊掃走的金條及現成金飾,總重約15公斤,市價高達200萬令吉。

竊賊得逞後,由天花板原路逃走,幹案手法俐落。

無人看守及留宿

遇竊打金廠有4間舖面,沒聘請保安員看守及沒有工友留宿,東主次日早上開工時,方知入賊,夾萬內的200萬令吉金飾,一夜間被偷光。

警方據報到場調查,並在現場起獲一批破門工具,包括兩支螺絲起子及燒焊器具等。

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Doctors wake up to find cash and belongings stolen

Doctors wake up to find cash and belongings stolen

Saturday August 7, 2010


KUALA LUMPUR: A group of doctors who attended an overnight meeting at a hotel here are fuming over money and belongings believed to be stolen when they fell asleep in a room.

One of the doctors from the Health Ministry’s disease control department said the hotel security informed them there were no security cameras except at the hotel lobby.

“They claimed that records indicate we were the only ones who entered and left the room,” said the doctor, who lost RM2,200 and a watch in the incident, believed to have taken place early yesterday morning.

“We got into the hotel room close to midnight and had a chit-chat before going to bed. I noticed my watch was missing when I got up for morning prayers and later found money missing from my wallet.

“The watch has a sentimental value as my daughter gave it to me,” he said.

Two other doctors who were in the room lost RM400 and RM250 respectively while a third did not have anything stolen as he had left his wallet in his pocket.

“Only the three of us took our wallets out and placed them on a table near the television. We think that the hotel has been irresponsible in this matter and hope something can be done,” said the doctor.

He added that he was later told by a Malaysian AIDS Council staff member that a United Nations official from Thailand had had his belongings, including cash and credit cards, stolen when he stayed at the hotel last year.

One of the doctors lodged a report at the Sentul police station yesterday and was informed that another hotel guest had lodged a report stating that he had lost about RM12,000.