Government will not extend 'SaveME 999' to the public - Ahmad Shabery

The government has no intention to expand emergency services line 'SaveME 999', introduced for the differently abled people (OKU), to the public.

Communication and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek said so far the system was being maintained for the differently abled only to avoid congestion of the SaveME 999 line.

"At the moment we are concerned about congestion (if extended) because the differently abled would not be able to use the line, and the original goal to help them will not be achieved," he told reporters after visiting the Malaysia Emergency Response Services (MERS) 999 office at Menara TM here, Saturday.

SaveME 999 introduced in September is equipped with the Global Positioning System (GPS) to help police track down the differently abled individual who sent the signal to the respective location.

He added that the general public can contact the MERS' 999 line, introduced in 2007, which will directly connect them to the relevant parties in accordance with the reported case, whether the police, Malaysian Civil Defence Department or ambulance operators.

Ahmad Shabery said the Response Centre (RC) for MERS 999 received about 2.8 million calls a month but the actual number of emergency calls recorded were about 41,000.

On prank calls, he said there was a reduction of 20 per cent on such calls it was due to increasing public awareness that emergency calls should not be abused.