Proposal paper on auxiliary firemen allowance hike ready

The paper on the proposal to increase the allowance rate for auxiliary firefighters from RM6 to RM8 an hour is completed and will be submitted to the Cabinet soon, said Housing and Local Government Deputy Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ismail Abd Mutalib.

Ismail said the increase would involve an additional allocation of RM11 million a year for 2,500 auxiliary firefighters.

He said this was to ensure auxiliary firefighters would receive the same rate as other security personnel as their duties were similarly laborious and dangerous.

Ismail told reporters this after being conferred Honorary Deputy Fire Commissioner from Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia (JBPM) director-general Datuk Mohamad Hamdan Wahid in a ceremony here today.

On sanitation operations, Ismail said JBPM was still conducting the operations in public areas and schools as part of the effort to break the chain of COVID-19.

"JBPM will continue with the sanitation process including in schools and we take the approach of guiding school cleaning workers to manage hygiene and the use of chemicals," he said.

--BERNAMA