KOTA KINABALU, Sept 14 – Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department is ready to provide assistance to extinguish forest fires in Indonesia, said its director-general Datuk Wan Mohd Nor Ibrahim today. He said the department had not yet received any orders to send reinforcements to help to extinguish the fire in the republic, which was believed to be the cause of the haze here in Malaysia.
“We are ready if the government orders us to help extinguish fires in Indonesia. The situation in the country is under control because there is no open burning being carried out here that could contribute to the haze,” Wan Mohd Nor told reporters after the department’s award ceremony held at the Sabah State Fire and Rescue Department headquarters here on Monday.
Earlier, he presented medals to 19 members of the department including the late Apollos Jeremos firefighters who died on duty last July. Meanwhile, the wife of the late Apollos, Laurinjah Saimin, 23, who is now eight months pregnant expressed his gratitude to the award. She said she will always remember her husband’s wish for his child to become a fireman one day, just like him.
