PUTATAN: The Fire and Rescue Department has received an allocation of RM64.8 million for the implementation of new physical equipment this year.
Housing and Local Government minister Nga Kor Ming said the allocation is for the procurement and maintenance of new machinery and fire vehicles.
He said this includes the enhancement of 30 Fire Rescue Tender (FRT) units and the replacement of 10 fire buses.
"In addition, the allocation also covers the maintenance of helicopters and aircraft as well as fire vehicle maintenance," he said at the opening ceremony of the Putatan Fire and Rescue Station (BBP) here today.
Also present were Sabah Deputy Chief Minister and State Local Government and Housing minister Datuk Dr Joachim Gunsalam; Sabah Deputy Chief Minister and State Minister of Public Works Datuk Shahelmey Yahya; and department director general, Datuk Nor Hisham Mohammad.
Nga said this year, the government also approved an allocation of RM53.8 million for the construction of new projects, including the construction of new, upgraded, and maintenance of fire facilities, including stations and housing quarters.
He said under the fourth phase of the 12th Malaysia Plan, the government approved RM267.6 million in development expenditure for the department , covering 17 new projects and 47 continued projects nationwide.
Meanwhile, in Sabah, six new and continued projects are currently being implemented in Telupid, Lahad Datu, Beaufort, Pitas, Nabawan, and Merotai.
He added that Sabah currently has 27 fire stations, including the newly operational BBP Putatan, making it the state with the most number of fire stations in the country.
BBP Putatan, built on a 0.7-hectare site at a total cost of RM11.72 million, is a Category C station equipped with machinery space, administrative offices, logistics storage, a pump house, a tower, a drill field, and a two-storey quarters building.
Nga said that the new station is expected to improve fire response in dealing with incidents requiring firefighting services in Sabah.
"I was informed that previously any incidents in this area were attended to by nearby fire and rescue stations such as Kota Kinabalu, Penampang, and Lintas, which are located an average distance of over 12 kilometres from Putatan.
"Now, with the fire station in Putatan, response times will be shorter, and the team can arrive at incident locations faster to save lives and property in the surrounding area.
"The ministry is positive that in the future, with the increase in the number of new stations to be built and in operation, the department's response time will improve," he said.