PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) will apply for the payment of allowance to be extended to its personnel working the 12-hour and 24-hour shifts, said JBPM director-general Datuk Seri Mohammad Hamdan Wahid.

He said the application would be submitted to the Public Service Department (PSD) following the approval of the payment of Special Skill Allowance to officers serving as trainers and educators at the Fire and Rescue Academy (ABPM) recently.

He told this to reporters when met at the networking event hosted by the Minister of Housing and Local Government, Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican in conjunction with the Aidilfitri celebration today.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob recently said the government had approved the application to extend the Special Skill Allowance to 114 officers from Grade KB19 to KB38 who work as trainers and educators at the academy in Kuala Kubu Bharu in Selangor, Wakaf Tapai (Terengganu), Ipoh (Perak), Sabah and Sarawak.

Mohammad Hamdan said the approval involved financial implications of between RM200,000 and RM300,000, involving payment for Hazmat incentive of RM30 for each operation (maximum RM600 per month) and the incentive payment for water rescues of RM30 for each operation (with a maximum of RM600 monthly).


Asked about the preparedness of JBPM to assist flood victims in Perak, Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, he said it was at the optimum level, adding that to date, a total of 179 rescue operations including the search and rescue missions had been carried out using assets such as boats, drones and helicopters.

"Drones and helicopters will be used for intensive monitoring purposes in hotspot locations," he said, adding that it would help the department channel accurate information on the flood situation to the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA).

-- BERNAMA