Armed Forces gets first batch of 50 new ambulances

KUALA LUMPUR: The first batch of new ambulances that will replace the aging fleet of vehicles used by the Armed Forces has arrived.

The Defence Ministry received 50 new ambulances at a symbolic event at the Kementah Camp here on Tuesday (March 28).

“The required number is around 130 vehicles but this is the first batch. God willing we will order more when finances improve,” said Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan when met after the event.

He added that the ambulances were ordered during the height of the pandemic.

“There was an urgent need for it at that time because the volume of patients required to be sent to the hospitals and quarantine centres reached a point where there were no more vehicles left to be used,” said Mohamad.

“Based on that, the ministry ordered the first batch of 50 ambulances which were all fully imported,” he added.

Mohamad said that the vehicles are all Class B ambulances

“This means it has all the required equipment to stabilise a patient. This is good enough and it will have an accompanying doctor and assistant medical officers inside,” he said.

He added that aging vehicles will be decommissioned.

The Armed Forces said that the new ambulances were part of long-term plans to improve the readiness of the force.

“These replacements will increase the capabilities of delivering quality healthcare, especially in the process of transportation of patients,” it said in a statement today.

The event was officiated by the country’s top military leadership, including Armed Forces Chief Jen Tan Sri Affendi Buang.