KUCHING: The Sarawak government will work closely with its federal counterpart to acquire more specialised equipment, and set up more fire and rescue stations in the state.
Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian said that this was needed because the norms and standards in fire and rescue services in Malaysia were not applicable in Sarawak.
“This is due to the population’s large size and distribution, the extensive and challenging topography, its uniqueness such as oil and gas terminals, the large amount of forest and others.
“That is why we hope that under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP), there will be more fire and rescue stations built in Sarawak.
“Apart from that, we also need helicopter services — which is also important in terms of oil and gas incidents. It requires specialised fire and rescue equipment, not just the usual ones.
“I am sure that in Peninsular Malaysia, they do not have gas or oil terminals like we have,” he said after officiating at the First Series Auxiliary Firefighters Commissioning ceremony at the State Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) headquarters, Jalan Setia Raja here.
Dr Sim pointed out that every year in September, Sarawak would experience the haze, and specialised equipment would come in handy during such season.
“We will work together with the federal government to see how can we get the services upgraded to the next level.
“And I hope that fire and rescue stations will not just be built in rural areas but also in urban areas as well, especially in Kuching, they (Bomba) cannot reach their destination on time due to the heavy traffic.”
State Bomba director Khirudin Drahman stated that currently, the department had 34 operating stations and soon, the department would have 39 stations.
In terms of personnel, the department has 1,301 full-time personnel and 244 auxiliary personnel, including the mountain cave search and rescue team.
“Once we have our new fire and rescue stations operating such as in Sibujaya, Belaga, Lutong and Asajaya, our auxiliary firefighters will be stationed there as it is the fastest way to get manpower.
“The department is expanding because we need to make sure that the response time, and accessibility of fire and rescue services, can reach all remote areas in Sarawak,” he added.
