GEORGE TOWN: Some 30% of 8,300 public and commercial buildings inspected by the Fire and Rescue Department nationwide do not have fire certificates as required by law.
Its director-general Datuk Seri Mohammad Hamdan Wahid said this could be because some of these premises had not yet been approved, were in the process of compliance or had failed to meet requirements under the Fire Services Act 1988.
"In our inspections nationwide involving 8,300 premises, covering government buildings, industrial, commercial, shopping, hotel, and office premises, we found that 70% of them had obtained the certificates, while the rest were in the process of getting it.
"Building owners must pay serious attention to the need for the certificate... safety must not be compromised which can lead to loss of lives besides the assets involved," he told reporters after officiating at the 2021 Penang JBPM Excellence Service Awards (APC) here on Tuesday (Aug 16).
Mohammad Hamdan said if building owners still fail to obtain the fire certificate, they face a fine of up to RM50,000 or three years' jail.
He said premises must meet fire risk standards classified under the law and it is important that when an emergency occurs, the situation can be prevented or controlled at an early stage besides preventing massive damage.
"The law is not aimed at punishing premises owners but to ensure the safety of premises from fire," he said. – Bernama
