PUTRAJAYA: False emergency calls received by the Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia have shown an increasing trend over the past three years, raising concerns over the misuse of emergency resources.
Its director-general Datuk Nor Hisham Mohamad said 141 false calls were recorded in 2023, followed by 196 cases in 2024 and 255 cases in 2025.
“This is a worrying trend because when we respond to false calls, we waste manpower and logistics and, more importantly, it creates gaps in protection in other areas,” he said at a press conference after the department’s annual assembly on Friday (Jan 30).
Nor Hisham said the matter was being discussed with the Communications Ministry to identify mechanisms to curb the problem.
“We are discussing this with the Communications Ministry to find ways to reduce false emergency calls without discouraging genuine callers from seeking help,” he said.
Providing broader context, he said overall emergency call volumes remained high, with 129,114 calls recorded in 2023, declining to 118,481 calls in 2024, before edging up slightly to 119,344 calls in 2025.
Nor Hisham said false calls not only consumed manpower and logistics but also posed operational risks, as fire engines and personnel could be diverted away from genuine emergencies.
Acknowledging that some calls might appear trivial or minor, he said such situations required careful handling, as perceptions of risk could differ between callers and responders.
“What may seem trivial to us may be serious to the caller. That is why communication at the control room is very important,” he said.
Nor Hisham added that the department sometimes responded to such cases through special task arrangements, including deploying officers without full fire engines, depending on the nature and proximity of the incident.
“If it is within a short distance, we may send officers first without deploying heavy assets, but this still involves manpower and responsibility,” he said.
He said operators were instructed to verify information carefully while ensuring that genuine cases continued to receive prompt assistance.
“We want to ease the anxiety of callers, but at the same time we must ensure our resources are used efficiently and responsibly,” he said.
