MARANG: The Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) has recorded 76 fire incidents in school areas nationwide this year, with electrical faults accounting for 60% of cases.
Director-General Datuk Nor Hisham Mohammad stated that wiring issues, electrical equipment misuse, and power supply resistance were the main contributors.
“We did not categorise fire incidents as happening in classrooms, laboratories, or stores.
“But we categorised them as the entire school area,“ he said after the closing ceremony of the National Firefighter Drill 2025 at the Fire and Rescue Academy (Eastern Region) in Wakaf Tapai.
In a separate development, JBPM deployed heavy machinery to combat four active wildfires in Sarawak, covering over 88 hectares.
The affected areas include a pineapple plantation in Marudi, a former landfill in Kota Samarahan, a forest near UiTM Mukah, and the Kampung Jerijih landfill in Tanjung Manis.
“Our concern is that if the hot weather persists, fires may spread to peatland areas. We must prepare for total flooding,“ Nor Hisham added.
He also urged the public to avoid open burning during the dry season to prevent larger outbreaks. – Bernama
