JBPM To Host ASEAN Fire Chiefs Meeting

PUTRAJAYA, March 27 Mac (Bernama) -- The Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia (JBPM) will host the Fire Chiefs of ASEAN meeting in May, which is expected to discuss various regional issues, including haze, disaster management and fire safety. JBPM director-general Wan Mohd Nor Ibrahim said almost all the fire chiefs from ASEAN member countries had indicated that they would attend the meeting. "The conference will discuaa the setting up of a council in which Malaysia will become the protem committee chairman and the rotation of its chairman," he told reporters after the department's monthly gathering at the JBPM headquarters here Friday. He said the Asean level event would establish a network, platform and understanding for fire agencies in Asean member countries to solve several regional issues. Malaysia was in an excellence position to spearhead the matter based on its position as ASEAN chairman and JBPM performace that was on par as fire agenices in developed countries, he said. Wan Mohd Nor said the second ASEAN Fire Chiefs Meeting would be hosted on the sidelines of the International Fire Conference and Exhibition Malaysia (IFCEM) to be held at the Putra World Trade Centre, Kuala Lumpur from May 5-7. Themed Fire and Disaster Challenges, the international conference will see the gathering of over 1,000 representatives from fire and rescue agencies of 30 countries. "This conference will discuss aspects on disaster management and matters relating to fire safety engineering besides being involved in an exhibition on fire and rescue equipment," he said. The inaugural IFCEM was held in 2012 in Kuala Lumpur and received good response. -- BERNAMA