Kuala lumpur: The Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) is set to construct its fourth Detection Dog Unit (K9) operations centre in Bertam, Penang, with a budget of RM19 million. The announcement was made by JBPM director-general Datuk Seri Nor Hisham Mohammad, who indicated that the facility aims to improve response times for incidents in the northern region of Peninsular Malaysia, which currently relies on the K9 centre in Kuala Lumpur.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the new operations centre will be built on a 2.02-hectare reserve site within the JBPM Northern Region Air Base and the Bertam Fire and Rescue Station. The tender process is slated to begin by the end of 2026, with construction starting in 2027, and the centre expected to be operational by early 2029.
Nor Hisham disclosed this development during the Housing and Local Government Ministry's (KPKT) Sentuhan Kejayaan programme, which took place at the Taman Sri Sentosa K9 Operations Centre in Jalan Klang Lama. The event was also attended by Minister Nga Kor Ming. The new facility will cater to the northern region, including Perak and the Cameron Highlands in Pahang, enhancing the efficiency of forensic fire investigations and water cadaver recovery operations.
He emphasized that reliance on the Kuala Lumpur K9 centre for northern operations could compromise response effectiveness. In fire incidents, delayed responses could lead to the loss of critical evidence, while in drowning cases, any lag might result in the body drifting with the current.
Currently, JBPM operates with 34 detection dogs but requires at least 56 to meet its full operational needs, including those for the new Bertam centre. To manage costs, JBPM plans to implement a breeding programme, operated by department officers who have completed specialized training in the United Kingdom.
JBPM's existing K9 centres are located in Jalan Klang Lama, Kuala Lumpur; Tuaran, Sabah; and Serian, Sarawak. Nor Hisham also revealed that the government approved the procurement of 16 new detection dogs from the United Kingdom for fire investigation and search-and-rescue operations. This acquisition will cost RM2.4 million, with an additional RM600,000 provided by the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA).