KUCHING, Jan 8: Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) Public Complaint Bureau (PCB) advises the public to be very cautious and careful before giving someone a Power of Attorney.
SUPP PCB chief Wilfred Yap, in a statement today, said a Power of Attorney is a legal document that gives another person (agent) the right to make certain decisions on his or her behalf and that there are risks involved.
“Before signing any Power of Attorney, the public is advised to seek independent legal advice about its legal effect and implications. This is because a Power of Attorney is extremely dangerous in the wrong hands,” he said.
Yap said this following a case where he was approached by a woman seeking advice on the legal implication of granting a Power of Attorney, to which the individual concerned had earlier granted a Power of Attorney to another person who had entered into a Tenancy Agreement on her behalf and there is a dispute on the rental collected.
He pointed out it is very difficult for the giver of the Power of Attorney to hold the agent accountable for wrongful conduct after giving them such powers.
“Additionally, there is little oversight with a Power of Attorney since it is contractual in nature. It is up to the person who signed the Power of Attorney to make sure it is used for his or her benefit and not in any way that deprives him or her of money or property wrongfully,” he added.
On the same note, Yap also said that SUPP PCB is always ready to lend a helping hand to anyone facing problems or who come across problems of public interest but does not know how to deal with it.
“Anyone requiring assistance can always call SUPP Public Complaint Bureau’s mobile number at 016-7797688 or 082-246999 or go directly to SUPP Head Office to request for assistance,” he said. — DayakDaily
