PETALING JAYA: A joint special committee involving the Communications and Health ministries will be set up to review all technical, operational and inter-agency coordination issues in the Next Generation Malaysian Emergency Response Services 999 (NG MERS 999) system, ensuring efficiency.
It will also ensure smooth and safe delivery of emergency services, implement immediate system improvements and provide weekly reports to the Cabinet on operational effectiveness, key performance indicators and recommendations for short- and long-term solutions.
In a joint statement yesterday, the ministries said the Cabinet was briefed on the implementation of the system, operated by Telekom Malaysia, amid public criticism over long waits for ambulances.
“The system became fully operational on Nov 16 as a continuation of the MERS 999 system introduced in 2007,” the statement said.
It said that as of noon yesterday, the system received a total of 323,957 calls, which were managed by 170 professional emergency officers across 1,302 workstations.
Some 95% of calls were processed within eight seconds.
A 24-hour Technical Support Centre is also available nationwide to provide support and maintenance services as needed.
Two applications have been developed to support the system – SaveME999 for the public and the Responder App for responders – with a combined subscription cost of RM880,000, or 0.78% of the annual operating cost, including database services.
The SaveME999 app, initially developed in 2013, now integrates three existing apps – SaveMEBlind, SaveMEDeaf and SaveMEPolice – to send locations and emergency information digitally.
“The integration enhances the system and does not replace the 999 hotline,” the ministries said.
The Health Ministry is also implementing interim workflow adjustments to ensure clinical and medical responses remain optimal.
“The 999 Response Centre will continue receiving calls, and the Medical Emergency Coordination Centre remains part of the NG MERS 999 ecosystem, coordinating calls that require other agencies.
“With these adjustments, the ambulance activation process can be carried out more systematically, following the workflow that has proven stable before full integration is completed,” it added.
NG MERS 999 was developed to improve national emergency response efficiency through a faster, more accurate, modern and inclusive communication network.
It now covers 837 operational locations, with an estimated annual operating cost of RM113mil, supporting expanded coverage, enhanced infrastructure, inter-agency integration and increased cybersecurity.
It is a critical component of national emergency service delivery, involving the police, Fire and Rescue Department, Civil Defence Force, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency and Health Ministry.
