JBPM Reaffirms Commitment To Global Chemical Threat Readiness - DG

PUTRAJAYA, Aug 19 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) has reaffirmed its firm commitment to collaborating with regional and international partners to enhance preparedness and response to chemical threats.

Its director-general Datuk Seri Nor Hisham Mohammad said the department remains focused on bolstering national capabilities while fostering international cooperation with several key organisations.

These include partnerships with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Public Health Agency of Canada, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the US Department of Defence, and the European Union Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Centres of Excellence. 

“Collectively, these collaborations have benefitted more than 10,000 participants from both local and international agencies,” he said in his speech at the closing ceremony of the Course on Integrated Advanced Training and Exercise on Emergency Response to Chemical Incidents for the Asian Region 2025.

Nor Hisham said JBPM also reiterates its unwavering commitment to the Chemical Weapons Convention, particularly under Article X on Assistance and Protection.

As the national lead agency for hazardous materials and CBRN-related incidents, he said the JBPM has trained hundreds of domestic respondents, including those from the Royal Malaysia Police, Science and Technology Research Institute for Defence, and South East Asia Regional Centre for Counter-Terrorism. 

“Our work is significant as we enhance the mechanism and principle of a whole-of-government approach in mitigating and handling chemical incidents by strengthening compliance, preparedness and capacity. 

“On a broader scale, our efforts also aim to facilitate and promote trade and investment in chemicals and chemical-based products,” he added.

Meanwhile, Miguel Albaladejo Pomares, senior programme officer of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), expressed his deep appreciation to all JBPM staff for their tremendous efforts in preparing, organising, and conducting the course.

“It's nice to see how the JBPM team has made even the most complex tasks seem easy, adapting seamlessly to the various demands of the course, always with a smile,” he said.

Also present were National Authority for Chemical Weapons Convention (NACWC) Malaysia chairman Datuk Bala Chandran Tharman and JBPM deputy director-general (Operations) Datuk Ahmad Izram Osman.

A total of 23 participants from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Fiji, India, Jordan, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkmenistan, and Vietnam, along with observers from Switzerland and South Africa, took part in the seven-day training programme, which began last Wednesday (Aug 13).

-- BERNAMA