Six govt hospitals in Johor yet to be fully fire certified

ISKANDAR PUTERI: The Fire and Rescue department has yet to issue a full Fire Certificate (FC) to six government hospitals in Johor.
The six hospitals are Sultanah Aminah Hospital, Sultan Ismail Hospital, Sultanah Nora Ismail Hospital, Mersing Hospital, Permai Hospital and Kota Tinggi Hospital.
This came to light when the State Health and Environment Committee chairman Datuk Ayub Rahmat told the state assembly sitting that the only government hospital in the state with a full FC for its entire facility is Enche' Besar Hajjah Khalsom hospital in Kluang.
Five out of the 12 hospitals in the state are exempted from the FC requirement.
Under the Fire Service Act 1988, buildings which have a floor base height of 250m and have at least three floors, must undergo inspection by the Fire and Rescue Department. The Fire and Rescue Department will then certify that the building's firefighting systems, comprising hose reels, water sprinklers and building wiring are in working order, operational and maintained.
On the fire at the Sultanah Aminah Hospital's Intensive Care Unit on October 25, he said: "Still in the process of applying for the Full Certificate. When it was built in the 1934, there was no requirement for such certification then. It was later the government introduced the Fire Services Act 1988."
Replying to a question from Tan Chen Choon (Jementah) and several assemblymen, Ayub said the remaining 11 state government hospitals either have an FC for some of their buildings, or are not required to have one at all, as the certificate does not fall within the required building specification stipulation under the Fire Service Act 1988.
When replying to an additional question from Dr Mohammad Taslim (Pas-Maharani), he said HSA’s newer blocks obtained FCs since 2007, while the older blocks are still in the midst of getting the certification.
He said, the Independent Inquiry Committee report on the fire was completed on Nov 13 but yet to be discussed in Cabinet.
"It is only after it is presented in Cabinet can the findings be announced," he added.