ALOR STAR: THE state Fire and Rescue Department will inspect 40 religious schools for building defects in the state next year.
Its director Ahmad Shahabuddin said the move was a proactive one to ensure that school buildings were safe and met the regulations for fire safety and protection.
Ahmad said the inspections were imperative to prevent fire.
“It is crucial to carry out scheduled mechanical and electrical maintenance so we can be assured that the electrical appliances are in good condition,” he said, adding that the inspections would reveal any electrical defects for repairs..
He was speaking after opening the Business Licensing Electronic Support System (BLESS) seminar at Star City Hotel recently.
In April, a male dormitory of Maktab Mahmud, here, which housed 25 Form Two and Three students, was destroyed in a fire.
No one was injured in the incident, as it had ocurred while the students were at the canteen.
On a separate note, Ahmad urged the owners of 271 business premises in the state to apply for the Fire Safety Certificate in order to operate their premises.
The premises include a library, hostel, massage centre, hotel, business premises, office building and factory.
To date, 206 premises have received fire safety certificates and the rest are in the process of getting it done.
Fire and Rescue Department building enforcement section chief Ahmad Izram Osman, state Fire and Rescue Department deputy director Awang Hidzel Awang Bujang and Fire and Rescue Department investigation division assistant director Mohamad Yunus Abu were also present.
BLESS is an online one-stop service centre which provides information and facilities for companies to apply for a licence or permit to start business.
“The system also enables applicants to easily apply for licences, permits and approvals from various government agencies online,” he said, adding the system is expected to be fully accessible next year.