Only a fraction of houses insured against fires

A recent fire at Kg Pasir Putih in Putatan, Sabah. Many Malaysians do not realise that initial action, such as having fire extinguishers at home, can save lives and property from extensive damage or loss.

LAST YEAR, about RM3.31bil worth of property was destroyed in fire-related incidents, according to statistics from the Fire and Rescue Department.

What is even more alarming is that only two million out of eight million homes in the country are insured, said its director-general Datuk Mohammad Hamdan Wahid.