KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) has mobilised 13,556 officers and rank-and-file, assisted by 2,147 auxiliary and 8,421 volunteer firefighters, from 369 teams nationwide to gear up for the second wave of floods in the country.
Minister of Housing and Local Government (KPKT) Nga Kor Ming said the rescue teams are already out in the field to deal with the second wave of floods.
“Like in previous years, a 100 per cent freeze on leave has been enforced since Dec 1 for state JBPM personnel involved in the Northeast Monsoon (MTL) operations.
“A total of 82,000 personnel from various agencies are already on standby for the second wave,“ he said during a briefing on MTL preparedness at the Hang Tuan Fire Station today.
Nga said that from Nov 5-Dec 10, the JBPM received a total of 1,111 calls related to disaster rescue cases nationwide, in addition to carrying out 1,119 flood evacuation operations involving 5,193 victims.
In another development, Nga said the JBPM is expected to obtain 30 new state-of-the-art fire engines starting next year and the procurement of these assets is part of the strategic collaboration between the governments of Malaysia and China.
“I see that there are fire engines that need a major overhaul, while some have been used so long and we need RM30 million for repairs.
“But we have (an allocation) of RM18 million only... definitely not enough but, with the diplomatic ties forged by PMX (Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim), he has managed to convince China (to help).
“The Chinese (government) said that for the (RM18 million) allocation, they will give us RM60 million (value of the machinery) based on diplomatic relations between both countries,“ he said.
Nga said that Budget 2025 had previously approved the procurement of 231 new fire engines with an allocation of RM40 million.
