Latest news with #Act341
The Star
25-06-2025
- The Star
Fire safety lapses plague schools
PETALING JAYA: Over 700 fire-hazard abatement (MBK) notices were issued to schools nationwide throughout 2024 and up until April of this year for failing to meet fire safety standards, says the Fire and Rescue Department. The department had conducted fire hazard checks on 853 schools nationwide, with 144 schools flagged. ALSO READ: Lax attitudes fuel risk of fire A total of 767 notices were issued to the 144 schools for failing to comply with fire safety requirements. It is not known how many of these schools are private and public. 'Pahang had the highest number of MBK notices issued for school premises, with 201 notices, followed by Perak with 82 notices and Kuala Lumpur with 75 notices,' the department told The Star. The department is in the process of commencing legal action to charge three schools under the Fire Services Act 1988 (Act 341) for not complying with the seven notices issued to them. The remaining 760 notices have been heeded and measures were taken to rectify the matter. 'The department has also conducted periodic checks on 'Passive and Active Safety Installations' under the Act 341 as an important enforcement measure to ensure buildings and premises are free from any fire risks,' it said. MBKs are usually issued for defective firefighting tools and the absence of exit signs or emergency lights, among others. Premises that receive an MBK notice must rectify the issues within the stipulated period to avoid being charged in court. Under Act 341 (the Fire Services Act), one can be fined RM3,000 or face a maximum of three years' imprisonment, or both, for these offences. On June 10, the administrative building of SM Sains Alam Shah in Cheras was destroyed in an early morning blaze. This was not the only school fire reported this year. On April 28, a fire erupted at the dormitory of SMK Tinggi Setapak, Kuala Lumpur. Last year, the boys' dormitory of SM Sains Hulu Terengganu caught fire for the second time on June 4, following a previous fire on a different floor on May 12. In November, the same year, a hostel at a school in Bukit Puchong, Selangor, was partially damaged by an early morning fire. The most devastating fire reported to date is the 2017 fire at the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah tahfiz school at Jalan Keramat Ujung, Kuala Lumpur, which killed 25 people.
The Star
04-06-2025
- Climate
- The Star
Only 62.2% of designated premises have valid Fire Certs, says Bomba
IPOH: Only 62.2% of designated premises nationwide currently possess a valid Fire Certificate (FC), says Datuk Ahmad Izram Osman. The Fire and Rescue Department deputy director-general (operations) said that that out of 9,321 such premises nationwide, only 5,801 have valid FCs. He added that 8,595 of the designated premises were private while 726 were government premises. 'This shows that there are still many premises that need to take action. We're now in June, so we have another six months to ensure that premises obtain valid FCs,' he said during a press conference after officiating the Fire Safety Organisation (OKK) Seminar here Wednesday (June 4). He added that various efforts have been made to improve enforcement, including the introduction of the ePremis platform and digitalisation efforts to streamline inspections and monitoring. 'We are clear about our focus and the categories of premises that require more thorough inspections,' he said, adding that enforcement is carried out in accordance with the Fire Services Act 1988 (Act 341), which governs fire safety regulations in Malaysia. 'This Act outlines the responsibilities of premises and buildings to comply with fire safety regulations, including the requirement to obtain a FC to ensure the premises are safe from fire risks,' he added. In Perak, he said that 75.9% of designated premises have already obtained valid FCs. "Of the 349 such premises, 265 are certified, while the remainder are in the process of applying, undergoing inspection, or have been issued notices," he said. Of the total premises in the state, 330 are privately owned and 19 are government buildings. 'Last year, only 244 premises obtained FCs. This year, the number is higher,' he added. On a separate matter, Ahmad Irzam said the department is fully prepared to face the current hot and dry weather conditions expected to continue until early next month. 'All equipment and personnel are ready. We're prepared to respond to any incidents related to the dry season, including forest and bush fires, which are not technically complex for us to handle,' he said. He also said that the department has the support of volunteer firefighter associations across Malaysia who are prepared to mobilise when needed. 'We are always ready, especially since we have anticipated this weather pattern,' he said.
New Straits Times
23-05-2025
- General
- New Straits Times
Five PPRs, 147 flats to undergo fire checks after blaze kills boy
MELAKA: The Fire and Rescue Department will conduct full-scale enforcement operations to strengthen fire safety systems across all People's Housing Projects (PPRs) and flats in the state after a fire claimed the life of a four-year-old boy at PPR Krubong here. Melaka Fire and Rescue Department director, Assistant Fire Commissioner Mohd Zaidi Ma'at, said the inspections would identify and eliminate fire hazards at the premises, including faulty fire safety equipment such as hydrants, hose reels and extinguishers, whether due to lack of maintenance or acts of vandalism. "I have instructed officers to carry out thorough inspections at all apartment blocks in Melaka to ensure that firefighting equipment is in good condition and fully operational during emergencies," said Zaidi. "We have identified five PPRs and 147 apartment buildings to be included in the operation. "The inspections will begin this week, and a comprehensive report will be compiled for all premises involved," he said at a press conference after officiating the JBPM Melaka 2025 Fire Organisation Seminar at a resort here yesterday," he added. The event was officiated by Housing, Local Government, Drainage, Climate Change and Disaster Management senior deputy executive councillor, Datuk Zulkiflee Mohd Zin. Also present was Fire and Rescue Department deputy director-general (development), Othman Abdullah. Mohd Zaidi said legal action could be taken under Section 8 of the Fire Services Act 1988 (Act 341) for the removal of fire hazards if it was found that residents had vandalised firefighting systems or equipment at PPRs or flats. "I urge Joint Management Bodies (JMBs) and building management to set up community fire brigades or safety organisations to carry out preliminary inspections of fire safety systems at their premises," he said.
New Straits Times
23-05-2025
- General
- New Straits Times
Five PPRs, 147 flats in Melaka to undergo fire checks
MELAKA: The Fire and Rescue Department will conduct full-scale enforcement operations to strengthen fire safety systems across all People's Housing Projects (PPRs) and flats in the state. Melaka Fire and Rescue Department director, Assistant Fire Commissioner Mohd Zaidi Ma'at, said the inspections would identify and eliminate fire hazards at the premises, including faulty fire safety equipment such as hydrants, hose reels and extinguishers, whether due to lack of maintenance or acts of vandalism. Zaidi said the initiative followed a recent fire incident at PPR Krubong which claimed the life of a four-year-old boy. "I have instructed officers to carry out thorough inspections at all apartment blocks in Melaka to ensure that firefighting equipment is in good condition and fully operational during emergencies. "We have identified five PPRs and 147 apartment buildings to be included in the operation. "The inspections will begin this week, and a comprehensive report will be compiled for all premises involved," he said at a press conference after officiating the JBPM Melaka 2025 Fire Organisation Seminar at a resort here yesterday. The event was officiated by Housing, Local Government, Drainage, Climate Change and Disaster Management senior deputy executive councillor, Datuk Zulkiflee Mohd Zin. Also present was Fire and Rescue Department deputy director-general (development), Othman Abdullah. Mohd Zaidi said legal action could be taken under Section 8 of the Fire Services Act 1988 (Act 341) for the removal of fire hazards if it was found that residents had vandalised firefighting systems or equipment at PPRs or flats. "I urge Joint Management Bodies (JMBs) and building management to set up community fire brigades or safety organisations to carry out preliminary inspections of fire safety systems at their premises," he said.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Arkansas education officials consider workforce development, higher ed legislation
NorthWest Arkansas Community College President Dennis Rittle (far right) answers a question from Natural State Media CEO Roby Brock (far left) during a roundtable discussion on higher education and workforce development at the Fayetteville Town Center on April 23, 2025. University of Central Arkansas President Houston Davis (center left) and University of Arkansas Chancellor Charles Robinson (center right) were also panelists. (Antoinette Grajeda/Arkansas Advocate) Arkansas education leaders praised components of a new higher education overhaul law that will help high schoolers transition to college and reaffirmed their commitment to supporting all students during a roundtable discussion at the Fayetteville Town Center Wednesday. University of Central Arkansas President Houston Davis, NorthWest Arkansas Community College President Dennis Rittle and University of Arkansas Chancellor Charles Robinson participated in the conversation, which was organized by the Northwest Arkansas Council and focused on higher education's role in workforce and regional development. 'We're not talking about degrees, we're talking about making sure that students have the skills that they need that are marketable and that align with our regional economies whether it's here or Central Arkansas or otherwise,' NWA Council President Nelson Peacock told a crowd of roughly 350 guests. Workforce preparedness has been a priority for Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who in March signed into law Arkansas ACCESS, a 123-page bill that will make changes to the state's higher education funding model, scholarships, course credits and the admissions process, among other things. What is Arkansas ACCESS? Participants considered the impact of Act 341 throughout the hour-long conversation, including Davis. He said he appreciated the legislation's connections between K-12 and post-secondary education, which he said will make university officials think about how to reach out to feeder schools and make sure they're removing barriers. Additionally, Davis said he appreciated the legislation's support for noncredit activities, such as the coding and aviation academies offered at UCA. 'Knowing that the state has a nod toward and there's a place for that and there's encouragement for universities and community colleges to be in that noncredit space, I think that's a win for workforce, that's a win for business and industry,' Davis said. Robinson lauded Arkansas ACCESS' support of concurrent credit courses, which he said would better prepare students for post-graduation activities. Robinson also praised doubling the first-year award for the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship Program to $2,000. 'I know the state was doing what it thought was right, but that $1,000 doesn't cover books,' he said. 'So you need more money going to kids early on, and hopefully we'll continue to look for ways to increase the support from the state for the students, because again, that helps them to be able to afford the opportunity that they're seeking to better themselves and ultimately to better the state.' Colleges and universities are also taking steps to increase access to higher education through their own scholarships. The University of Arkansas, for example, announced Wednesday a $1 million donation by alumnus Will Feland to the Land of Opportunity Scholarship campaign, a three-year initiative to increase educational access for students from the state's 75 counties 'by addressing the critical funding gap often limiting those opportunities,' according to a press release. Roundtable participants were also asked about some of the more controversial components of Arkansas ACCESS, which include prohibitions on excused absences for college students who attend political protests and collecting and reporting information about diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) for institutional accreditation purposes. In terms of free speech, Robinson said he didn't see the challenge in the new law because academic freedom wasn't injured and the legislation 'doesn't prevent us from teaching what we need to teach.' Regarding DEI, the new higher education law prohibits things like requiring students and staff to submit a diversity statement or conditioning enrollment based on race, ethnicity, sex, color or national origin. While that may be happening in other institutions around the country, it's not an issue at UCA, according to Davis, who said 'those elements of the bill make something illegal that we're not doing already.' Critics of the law's prohibitions on 'indoctrination' and DEI have voiced concerns about the potential impact on students from minority groups. All 10,000 of UCA's students are unique individuals, Davis said, and it's his administration's job to figure out what about their background makes them special and what they hope to get out of their college experience. 'A friend of mine…says, 'no one can tell you you can't love a student and love who they are and be there for them as they walk their journey,' and that's all we're doing,' Davis said. 'And the reality is, if you want to divide that up into 10,000 pieces, go right ahead. We're going to keep meeting students where they are.' Rittle echoed those sentiments, noting that they love their students at NWACC 'and when you love them, there's no laws against that.' Progress and change come with challenges, but Rittle said he sees it as an opportunity for reinvention as the school continues serving its students. 'We don't get too tripped up [with] what happens in other ways. If you tell me we've got to stop doing our mission, that's a different conversation,' he said. 'But as long as we can do our mission, we figure it out and we keep serving. And we have students from every different demographic as well at NWACC, just like all the institutions represented here on this platform, and the reality is our service to them, if anything, it's just like, game on.' State Rep. Denise Garner, a Fayetteville Democrat and member of the House Education Committee who attended Wednesday's discussion, said there were some great parts of Arkansas ACCESS, but she's also worried about other components of the massive legislation. 'My biggest concern is to make sure we have all of the stakeholders at the table so that we're making good decisions, and we'll watch to make sure that happens,' Garner said. Details of the law's various components will be fleshed out during the rulemaking process, which often includes feedback from stakeholders and can take several months to complete. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
