GENTING HIGHLANDS: The Gohtong Jaya Fire and Rescue Station, on a 0.8-hectare site here, will be the first fire and rescue station to be built through public-private strategic cooperation, said Nga Kor Ming.
The Housing and Local Government Minister said the project, approved in 2021 under the 12th Malaysia Plan, is estimated to cost RM68.3mil with the government allocating RM39mil and the remaining to be borne by Genting Malaysia Berhad (GenM) under the company's corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative.
"The station, equipped with 40 units of staff quarters, a multi-purpose hall and a prayer hall is expected to take 24 months to complete.
"I hope that the local government authority can approve the permit for the construction of the project as soon as possible so that the construction work can be carried out immediately," he told a media conference after the groundbreaking ceremony for the Gohtong Jaya Fire and Rescue Station project here on Thursday (Oct 3).
Also present were Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department director-general Datuk Nor Hisham Mohammad, Pahang Fire and Rescue Department director Datuk Dr Wan Mohammad Zaidi Wan Isa and GenM deputy chairman and CEO Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay.
According to Nga, there are currently 27 fire and rescue stations in Pahang and with the additional one at Gohtong Jaya, they can help the department achieve a response time of less than 10mins.
"Besides providing services in the Gohtong Jaya area, the station will also provide services to Janda Baik, Bukit Tinggi, as well as Batang Kali and Selayang in Selangor," he said.
Commenting on public-private strategic collaboration, Nga said his ministry welcomes cooperation with private companies, especially public-listed companies, for the construction of fire stations in new townships.
"With the strategic collaboration we can shorten all the processes (applications for the construction of a new fire station) and this is for the good and benefit of everyone," he said.- Bernama
