Sabah CM takes MERS999 system to task over deadly Penampang fire

 By Olivia Miwil - September 9, 2021 @ 3:45pm

Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor has urged the Malaysian Emergency Response Services 999 (MERS999) to improve its system following a fire that killed a family of four in Taman Hungab in Penampang on Tuesday.- BERNAMA Pic

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor has urged the Malaysian Emergency Response Services 999 (MERS999) to improve its system following a fire that killed a family of four in Taman Hungab in Penampang on Tuesday.

The fire claimed the lives of Matthew Wong, 50, his wife Jecky Vun Kon Fong, 47, as well as their sons Brandon, 18 and Eric, 15.

Hajiji took the MERS999 system to task for having to refer calls to Kuala Lumpur first and delaying the response time.

"By right, once they know that the emergency is in Sabah, the call should be directed to the Fire and Rescue Department at the related district or state, or give the contact numbers.

"They should not have asked so many questions as every call to MERS999 is definitely an emergency.

"We have to be alert with such situations. It is undeniable that there will be panic and there would be no time to provide necessary information," he said in a statement.

He also reminded the public to keep important contact numbers such as the police station, fire department and hospitals available at all times.

Meanwhile, on a separate matter, Hajiji said the Sabah government would reject the federal government's proposal to introduce the Control on the Propagation of Non-Muslim Religions Bill as part of the four new syariah laws.

Hajiji said the state government would continue to uphold the principle of freedom of religion as enshrined in the Federal Constitution and Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).

"Sabah is a multiracial and multi-religious state with people who live in harmony.

"Despite the differences, we respect each other and there are no problems," he said.