MCMC said there has been a ‘worrying’ increase in the number of non-emergency calls made to the MERS 999 hotline throughout the month of July. — ANGELIN YEOH/The Star
PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) says enforcement action will be taken against those misusing the Malaysian Emergency Response Services (MERS) 999 hotline due to an increase in the number of non-emergency calls.
"Based on incoming call records from January to May, MERS 999 receives an average of more than 877,000 calls every month where all the calls have to be answered and managed by trained personnel at the 999 Response Centre.
"Out of this number, MERS 999 receives an average 62% or the equivalent of 544,000 non-emergency phone calls, crank calls and silent calls every month," MCMC said in a recent statement.
It added that there has been a "worrying" surge in the number of non-emergency calls made to the MERS 999 hotline throughout the month of July.
MERS 999 analysis found that the hotline has been used for various non-emergency purposes, such as inquiring about blocked SIM card issues and lodging complaints about phone credit balances.
It also received calls for complaints about utility services as well as local authorities due to issues like towed vehicles.
Some callers also took to MERS 999 to complain about ehailing and courier services like Grab and Foodpanda.
There were also those who relied on the MERS 999 hotline to find the numbers to contact the Employees Provident Fund (EPF), specialist clinics, telcos and even to check for traffic summons.
Lastly, some callers claimed to have accidentally dialed in due to their children or because of a faulty device.
According to MCMC, the issue of non-emergency calls, including crank calls to the emergency line 999, has persisted over the past few years and can negatively impact the performance of emergency call management by MERS 999.
As part of a measure to curb misuse, MCMC said it has terminated the services of phone numbers used in making crank calls to MERS 999.
"MCMC has also taken enforcement actions against individuals identified as misusing the MERS 999 hotline," the commission added.
Members of the public are reminded that the MERS 999 hotline is specifically designated for receiving and handling real emergency situations, adding that calls for non-emergency purposes are strictly prohibited.
The Commission added that the MERS 999 hotline misuse is an offence under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998. Upon conviction, offenders may be fined up to RM50,000, imprisoned for a term not exceeding one year, or both.
MERS 999 is a government initiative for a centralised emergency hotline that connects callers to services such as the police, fire department, and hospitals.
On its website, examples of emergencies include floods, incidences of fire, landslides and earthquakes.
