THE Housing and Local Government Ministry will buy more fireproof suits when the new tender opens on January 23.

This follows the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s recent seizure of 6,000 fake fireproof uniforms bought in 2016 by its previous contractor.

Since the purchase four years ago, the ministry has never opened any tender to buy new fireproof suits. As a result, many firefighters had no choice but to share fireproof uniforms with each other.

Zuraida Kamaruddin, who heads the ministry, said according to the old tender, 6,000 fireproof uniforms were needed.

“We will look into it depending on the current situation. We are thinking of increasing the number of fireproof uniforms to 9,000 to be distributed to fire stations across the country,” Zuraida said after officiating the Property Hot Seat programme at Wisma Bernama this morning.

She added that the new uniforms would be distributed to all fire stations from as early as next month, as soon as the old contract expired.

Zuraida said the new tender would be more transparent and would follow safety specifications.

“If necessary, we will ask the supplier to demonstrate to us just to make sure that the uniforms are really fireproof and safe for firefighters,” she said.

It is learnt that some firemen in the country had been using the same fireproof uniforms for five to 10 years.

The MACC has previously said it had sent samples of the fireproof suit from the old contractor to the Chemical Department for testing.

It said tests showed the fireproof uniforms were not safe for use and was not up to Fire and Rescue Department standards. – January 17, 2019.