Fire, Rescue Dept Prepared For Northeast Monsoon, Focused On 4,619 Flood-Prone Areas

KANGAR, Nov 4 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department is preparing for the northeast monsoon season by focusing on 4,619 flood-prone areas in the country.

Its director-general, Datuk Nor Hisham Mohammad said that the department is readying all 24,263 personnel, including 13,646 fulltime officers, 2,196 auxilary firefighters and 8,421 volunteer firefighters.

"To ensure assets and equipment are in optimum condition, the department is conducting logistic checks and testing under the MTL Log Day that will be conducted simultaneously throughout the country.

“Rapid Emergency Deployed (RED) Teams are also prepared to be mobilised as strike teams to boost the efficiency of (operations) in affected areas,” he told reporters after officiating the department’s 2024 Integrity Day here today, adding that 22 RED Teams are now in a state of readiness for mobilisation within an hour of receiving orders.

In addition, he said that the department has activated Regional Forward Bases (RFB) to organise machinery and rescue equipment along with distribution of manpower in three main zones, northern zone (Penang), eastern zone (Terengganu) and southern zone (Johor) to support operations on the field.

“Internal and inter-agency training under the Disaster Management Exercise (DMEX) have also been conducted to shore up personnel skills and coordination with partner agencies in facing any possibility during floods,” Nor Hisham said.

He also shared that the department recorded 273 misconduct complaints from 2019 to October 2024, including scandals or sexual (harassment), power abuse, corruption and embezzlement.

“In the same period, disciplinary action was taken against 74 personnel for offences such as drug abuse, absenteeism, involvement in gangsterism, corruption and sexual crimes.

"The department will not compromise with disciplinary misconduct and stern action will be taken against personnel involved in such acts,” he said, adding that the department has conducted several proactive initiatives and controls to strengthen integrity in the department, including  setting up the Anti Bribery Management System (ABMS), which has entered its fourth year, and the appointment of 79 Integrity Marshals at the state level to monitor and assist the Integrity Department.

-- BERNAMA