Gracing the occasion: Sultan Nazrin (second from right), Tuanku Zara (beside him) and Nga (seventh from right) among the VIPs at the launch of the Northern Region Malaysian Fire and Rescue Academy in Tronoh, Perak.
SERI ISKANDAR: Perak Ruler Sultan Nazrin Shah has launched the Northern Region Malaysian Fire and Rescue Academy (ABPM) in Tronoh, near here.
In his speech, Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming said the RM40mil academy was completed in 2014.
“To support a dynamic and effective training programme for fire officers, the academy is also equipped with facilities such as Compartment Fire Behaviour Training simulators, Breathing Apparatus Training Gallery, railway and gas spill simulators,” he said here yesterday.
Nga said the academy also utilised facilities at former mines for water rescue training such as boat handling and training for the special water rescue team.
He added that the Northern Region Fire and Rescue Department had now been made a hub and centre of excellence for water rescue training.
The 45ha academy has administrative buildings, lecture halls, field areas, garages, dormitories, restaurants and prayer rooms. It operates under the leadership of a commander with 50 firefighters.
Nga said the Fire and Rescue Department now had five academies.
They are the Central Region ABPM in Selangor, Eastern Region ABPM in Terengganu, Northern Region ABPM in Perak as well as in Sabah and Sarawak, Bernama reported.
For the future development of the country’s firemen, Nga said the ministry aimed to enhance fire infrastructure, particularly training centres and fire and rescue academies, to ensure firefighters were well-equipped with knowledge and skills.
He also commended the Fire and Rescue Department’s performance.
“The Fire and Rescue Department has not only demonstrated exceptional performance in domestic missions but also achieved notable successes internationally,” he added.
Among the department’s achievements were its involvement in the search and rescue (SAR) mission during the Batang Kali landslide in 2022 and during the Turkiye earthquake in 2023.
It also won awards, such as the Integrity, Governance and Anti-Corruption Award (AIGA) in 2022, three gold awards in 2023 and the Public Sector Perdana Innovation Award (AIPSA) in 2023 for its development of the Audio Frequency Intercept System (AFIS).
On the RM267mil allocation for the Fire and Rescue Department, Nga said efforts to strengthen the department were one of the eight major strategic policies for the ministry.
The allocation was approved by the government under the Fourth Rolling Plan of the 12th Malaysia Plan.
“The Fire and Rescue Department has received its highest-ever allocation of RM267mil this year.
“This includes RM53.8mil for constructing, upgrading and maintaining fire and rescue facilities.
“An additional RM64.8mil has been allocated for purchasing new equipment, including the refurbishment of 30 fire rescue tenders, replacement of 10 fire buses, maintenance of helicopters, aircraft refuellers and fire engines,” he said.
The event was also attended by Raja Permaisuri Perak Tuanku Zara Salim.
Raja Di Hilir Perak Raja Iskandar Dzurkarnain Sultan Idris A’fifullah Shah, Raja Puan Muda Perak Tunku Soraya Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah and Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad were also in attendance.
