JBPM Optimistic On Filling All Special Team Posts Next Year

SEREMBAN, April 2 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) is committed to filling all positions within its special teams next year to boost operational readiness and deliver swift, efficient, and high-impact services.

Its director-general Datuk Seri Nor Hisham Mohammad said the initiative, which began this year, was among the department’s three key focus areas, alongside upgrading firefighting equipment and vehicles as well as enhancing personnel welfare through improved facilities.

He said the effort to fill all positions was vital to ensure each special team operated at an optimal level, while strengthening specific functions and niche expertise to remain focused, highly capable and relevant to increasingly complex firefighting challenges.

“So far, the filling of positions in special teams has shown encouraging progress, with the HAZMAT and CBRNe (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosives) response teams teams reaching 91 per cent.

“The PPDA (Water Rescue Team) is at 66 per cent, with an additional 100 new members currently undergoing the commissioning process. The Emergency Medical Rescue Services (EMRS) team still has 18 per cent of positions unfilled, while the Rapid Intervention Motorcycle (RIM) team has seven per cent unfilled positions, and the Detection Unit requires 10 more personnel,” he said at the Negeri Sembilan JBPM 2025 Excellent Service Award ceremony here today.

The text of his speech was read by JBPM deputy director-general (Development) Datuk Othman Abdullah. Also present was Negeri Sembilan JBPM director Nor Arifin Kamari.

Meanwhile, Nor Hisham said the government had approved an allocation of RM10 million under the 2026 Budget for the maintenance of JBPM staff quarters, covering 107 projects involving 1,545 units nationwide, including those in Mantin, Nilai and Simpang Pertang in Jelebu.

“JBPM has also applied for an additional RM10 million from the Ministry of Finance to expand the implementation of the initiative.

“A total of RM10 million through the Firefighters Welfare Fund has been allocated for the development of welfare, sports and recreation facilities, as well as the maintenance of fire stations,” he said.

Meanwhile, Nor Arifin urged the public in the state not to engage in open burning activities to prevent a rise in fire incidents and curb the negative impact on the environment and public health.

He said that any large-scale burning, for example on farms or plantations, must obtain permission from the Department of Environment and notify the fire department so that precautionary measures can be taken to prevent the fire from spreading.

“So far, we have received one case of plantation fire in Port Dickson, believed to have been deliberately set by the landowner based on the patchy burn patterns, and we have left it to the Department of Environment to take further action,” he said.

Nor Arifin also advised the public to be more cautious of venomous animals, such as snakes, especially during the current hot weather.

He added that, as of last March, 398 cases involving venomous animals had been reported.

-- BERNAMA