Fire Dept, cops to collaborate in probes

KUALA LUMPUR: Collaboration between the police and the Fire and Rescue Department is vital to avoid clashes in fire investigations, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

He said beginning yesterday, to coordinate the process, only one agency would be involved in the preliminary investigations of a fire.

“With this smart collaboration, investigations will be smooth and both agencies can deliver the best service to the public,” he said in his speech at the Police College in Cheras here.

Zahid earlier witnessed the signing of a collaboration between police and the Fire and Rescue Department.

He said the cooperation was not jsut for investigations, but also in appointing a spokesman to avoid contradictions.

Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Tan Sri Noh Omar said the police’s willingness to collaborate with the department was an honour and a recognition of the department and the ministry.

He said the signing of the collaboration was in line with the spirit of the National Blue Ocean Strategy towards accomplishing the success of the Government Transformation Programme.

He said the close-knit collaboration between two agencies was seen in the arson case at the Darul Quran Itifaqiyah religious school in Keramat.

“The fire happened in the morning.

“The Fire and Rescue investigations unit had swiftly investigated and identified the incident as arson by noon.”