GEORGE TOWN, November 20 — Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow has urged federal ministries and relevant agencies to reassess the feasibility of the newly launched Next Generation Emergency Services (NG999) system before continuing with full implementation, following hotline disruptions reported since Monday.
Chow said the incident — which affected the long-established 999 emergency line — posed risks to individuals needing urgent assistance and should have been avoided. While acknowledging the potential effectiveness of NG999.
He emphasised that its introduction on Nov 16 should not have been carried out abruptly without broader communication and preparedness involving NGOs providing ambulance and emergency services, as well as the general public.
Chow, who also chairs the Penang State Security Working Committee, stressed that public safety must never be compromised, calling on ministries to take seriously the concerns raised by emergency-response NGOs and long-time users of the 999 system.
In support of the national effort toward more efficient, AI-enabled emergency response through integrated digital mapping, caller identification and geolocation technologies, he encouraged the public to download the SaveME999 app via the App Store or Google Play to ensure faster and more accurate transmission of emergency information under the NG999 platform.
