SEBERANG JAYA: A decision on successful tenders to supply fire-resistant clothing to the Fire and Rescue Department will be made in April, Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin said today.
She said the calls for bid, to supply some 9,000 flame-resistant wear, were made at the end of last month.
“We will ensure stricter checks (on the tenders) this time around.
“We will also ensure that only fire-resistant clothing with proven certification is supplied,” she said when asked on the matter.
Zuraida said in previous years, they used to request for 6,000 flame-resistant wear each year, although there are a total of 14,000 firefighters nationwide.
“Since we have not been getting the supply for two years now, we are now asking for 9,000 fire-resistant clothing,” she adding, noting that 3,000 flame-resistant wear could be put on stand by to replace those which have damaged.
In 2017, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) launched an investigation involving the supply of fire-resistant clothing for the department.
It was found that the contractor, which provided the flame-resistant wear, had failed to meet the standards set.
It was recently reported that nine fire stations throughout the country were faced with the problem of insufficient fire-resistant clothing as there had been no new purchases made since 2017 following investigations by the anti graft body.
As a result, the firemen had to use old fire-resistant clothing which were torn, or share with their colleagues who were not on duty.
Meanwhile, commenting on Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s statement that the number of civil servants was too high and should be reduced, Zuraida said it did not apply to the Fire and Rescue Department, which still has over 2,000 vacancies nationwide.
“I am certain the firefighters are not involved as this involves public interest and a priority for the country.
“As it is, we are still constructing new fire stations throughout the country due to the shortage,” she said, urging the young and women to join the department.
Earlier, Zuraida was met at the Ampang Jajar Flats where she launched a fire safety campaign involving the B40 group.
Present was state Fire and Rescue Department director Saadon Mokhtar.