ISKANDAR PUTERI: The Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) will enforce a rule requiring fire certificates (FC) on more than 8,600 designated buildings throughout the country.
Its director-general Datuk Mohammad Hamdan Wahid said the enforcement would include 2,000 buildings in Johor comprising industrial and commercial buildings like hotels, offices and shopping centres.
“Under Fire Services Act 1988 (Act 341), amended 2018, we have taken several crucial measures to strengthen action that requires designated buildings to have fire certificates.
“The FC is a requirement under the law and in order for them to operate, they need to have fire certificates,” he said.
Mohammad Hamdan was speaking to reporters at the Johor Fire and Rescue Department Excellence Award Ceremony here yesterday. Also present was Johor JBPM director Datuk Yahaya Madis.
At the event, 100 Johor JBPM officers received the excellence awards while 27 received the department’s honours awards.
Mohammad Hamdan said at present, there were still building owners who had not obtained the FC as they failed to meet the safety criteria set by JBPM.
However, he added, the department would continue to help them meet the conditions and reduce accidents.
At the same time, he said, legal action would be taken if the building owners still do not comply with the regulations even after warning notices had been issued.
“We believe that prevention would reduce fire and emergency cases,” he said.
Mohammad Hamdan also said the JPBM would hold a roadshow in the middle of this year to expose the public to the importance of FCs for designated buildings. – Bernama
