Govt assures volunteer firefighters to benefit from streamline exercise

BATU PAHAT: The government has given assurance that volunteer firefighters will not be at the losing end should their organisations register under the Urban Well-being, Housing and Local Government Ministry (KPKT).
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong said the registration was meant to streamline the fire fighting services and its training for the volunteers.
"Previously, the volunteer corps was registered under the Registrar of Societies (RoS). They did not have access to actual rescue training or systematic procedures in dealing with natural disaster.
"Therefore, having registered under the KPKT will make them officially part of the Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM)," he said after officiating the new building of Ayer Hitam MCA Crisis Relief Squad's (CRSM) Fire and Rescue Volunteer Team here today.
Wee, who is also Ayer Hitam Member of Parliament, was commenting on rumours that the government would take over the roles, facilities and assets of volunteer fire fighting teams if they are registered under the ministry.
He said to date, there are 27 volunteer fire fighting teams in Johor and that the registration exercise would reduce the burden of JBPM.
"In Johor alone, there are only about 1,200 JBPM personnel. The total number of its staff nationwide is 14,000.
"As such, with the presence of these volunteers, we will be able to train more people in disaster management or rescue works that will certainly help the JBPM firefighters," he added. — Bernama