PETALING JAYA: The government and Telekom Malaysia (TM) have agreed to replace the current Malaysian Emergency Response Services (MERS999) with a new Next Generation Emergency Services (NG999) system.
According to Free Malaysia Today, TM stated that NG999 will integrate digital maps, caller IDs, geolocation services, and smart applications to manage emergency calls and dispatch responders, and reduce response times nationwide.
A new NG999 smartphone app will also be introduced, offering text, photo, and video functions to enhance communication between users and emergency services.
“The implementation of the world-class NG999 system is in line with global best practices like the European Emergency Number Association NG112 and National Emergency Number Association NG911 in North America,“ it said.
The system will utilise data analysis and artificial intelligence to improve emergency response efficiency.
“This is to ensure first responders can act quickly in urgent moments,“ it added.
In 2022, there was a case in Kota Kinabalu where an ambulance took an hour to respond to a heart attack call, leading to the patient’s death.
Sabah health department reported that the initial MERS999 call was disconnected while being transferred to the hospital’s emergency centre and first responders were only dispatched after a second call provided the necessary information.
