INTERACTIVE: How Safe are Your Holidays?

PETALING JAYA: Disasters may be unpredictable but by paying a little more attention to the lodgings, holiday goers may avoid getting involved in one while on vacation.

Besides weather and locations, fire hazards are also among the things that holiday goers may want to consider when choosing their lodgings.

From luxurious hotels to affordable shared Airbnbs - Malaysians are definitely spoiled with options.

However, the Fire and Rescue Department recently revealed that almost 400 hotels in Malaysia are operating without Fire Certification (FC) as of November last year.

This includes those that have applied but has yet to officially be granted one.

The number however does not capture the fact that hundreds - if not thousands - more homestays, Airbnb and other small-sized lodging establishments that are also without FCs or “FC-less” because they are not required legally to apply for one.

A fire certificate is given to a building structure to certify that it has passed the fire safety audit, including having functional fire fighting equipment, unblocked exit and clear signage.

The department’s Fire Safety Division director Datuk Ahmad Izram Osman said a total of 1,132 hotels nationwide are required to operate with FC but only 752 of them complied.

Another 380 hotels are currently operating without FC, and almost 80% or 298 of the premises are located in Kuala Lumpur.

The Number of Hotels without FCs Across Malaysia in States

A hotel is one of nine designated premises that are required to apply for FC, failing which the owner could be facing a RM50,000 fine - far higher than the previous RM5,000 fine.

This is besides libraries, hospitals and nursing homes, dormitories, offices, shops, factories, places of assembly and storage and general areas,” he said in an interview.

Ahmad Izram cited budget as one of the most common reasons given by the hotel operators for failing to apply for FC.

Most that did not have FC are the ones occupying the older buildings because the ones that were built between 1998, we have the Uniform Building By-law that governs them.

Normally for the older building, owners will have difficulties producing their building plan and preparing that plan will cost them, in addition to the hefty fire system.

But some are working towards it (getting FC),” he said, adding that building owners are required to apply for FC within a year of operating.

Ahmad Izram said however not every lodging establishment is required to apply for FC.

The smaller ones, such as some of the homestays (as well as) maybe budget hotels and Airbnbs that do not comply into categories are exempted from the requirement,” he said, adding that small-size lodging establishments normally have lower fire hazards risk.

Besides inspection for the purpose of FC issuance, the department, Ahmad Izram said would also conduct fire hazard abatement on businesses buildings prior to it being given operating licenses from the local authorities.

“Most that did not have FC are the ones occupying the older buildings because the ones that were built between 1998, we have the Uniform Building By-law that governs them.

He said fire hazard abatement would be done to assess the potential fire safety hazards in a building, including ensuring that equipment such as sprinkler systems, fire alarms, fire extinguishers and other safety equipment is functional.

However,the law does not applied to private own premises.

"We can't conduct fire hazard inspection on a private own premises so this includes unregistered homestay establishments (that do not fit the FC requirements).

"Unless we received complaints from their customers, then yes, we can act based on the complaint.

"The department also acts as a support agency to local authorities for licence issuance," he said.

Checks however show that homestays are not required to apply for a licence with the local authorities.

Malaysian Association of Hotels president Christina Toh said there were several reasons why a number of hotels do not comply with the requirement to obtain an FC.

"The most cited reason is that it is a costly procedure.

"Obtaining a fire certificate can be financially burdening since it may involve making changes to the physical aspects of the building itself and hotels have to constantly maintain their safety equipment. As most hotels have only just begun recovering due to the pandemic, most of them are still in a difficult financial situation."

She said some hotels may have decided to postpone their FC application until they are more financially stable.

She added there were also delays in obtaining the certification as the process is lengthy and complex as it required hotels to complete necessary inspections, testing and paperwork.

"In terms of procedure, hotels need to prepare and submit relevant paperwork, procure fire safety equipment, ensure all fire system are in working order and provide necessary facilities that must meet the Fire and Rescue Department standards.

"Afterwards,there will be inspections by the Department to ensure that all the items are in order and complied with before FC can be issued to the hotels.

"Any delay to this process does contribute to the general apathy of hotels towards getting a FC and may even be the factor that deter them completely," she said.

She said, however, it is crucial for hotels to get an FC for the safety of their guests and businesses.

"Premises that do not comply with the FC requirements have an increased fire risk.

"Without FC, there is no guarantee that the hotel has sufficient fire suppression system in place and a viable evacuation plans in case of an emergency.

"Furthermore, in the event of a fire, hotels that do not have FC risks exposing themselves to legal and financial liability to any harms that may had occurred.

She said that ideally, all hotels can get the FC in a cost-efficient and timely manner.

"We at MAH are open to discuss with the Fire and Rescue Department, on behalf of the hotels to find a way to make that into a reality," she said.

She added that the Fire and Rescue Department has done well in spreading awareness for FC by constantly hosting seminars with industry players, including the hotel industry to encourage premises to get the certification as well as promote the best fire safety standards and practices.

“Organisations have also played a part in encouraging hotels to get FC.

“Certain organisations and big functions require hotels that host events to produce an active FC as part of their safety regulations and protocol.

“Therefore, it is important for hotels to get the FC so as not miss out on big business opportunities,” she said.