KUCHING: Auxiliary firefighters or ‘Pasukan Bomba Sukarela’ (PBS) will be registered under the Malaysia Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) instead of Registrar of Societies (ROS).
Bomba director-general Datuk Mohammad Hamdan Wahid said this follows approval of the Fire Services (Amendment) 2018, Act A1568 by Parliament last year.
“This means PBS will be registered under Bomba through our registrar and not ROS anymore.
“This will ensure that auxiliary firefighters are not liable to certain legal action during their services and protected under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (Osha) 1994.
“Also, their standard operating procedures (SOPs) will be uniform nationwide,” he said.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of Borneo-level Auxiliary Firefighters (PBS) Convention 2019 held at Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) Headquarters in Jalan Setia Raja, yesterday, Hamdan added that PBS would be given annual financial allocation under the new legislation.
“I believe this is a good step to regulate the establishment of PBS and ensuring that its wellbeing is being taken care of by the government.”
Presently, there are 397 PBS nationwide with total membership of about 15,000.
