KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 11 — At least 40 per cent of electrical appliances in Malaysian homes do not have the approval of inspection and testing body Sirim Berhad, or fail to meet its standards, making them potential safety hazards.

Such appliances are ticking "time bombs” since it has the potential of disrupting domestic electrical supply and even start a fire, an Energy Commission (ST) official said in a report today in the Sunday edition of Malay newspaper Berita Harian.

"Electrical appliances without Sirim certification is like a time bomb because you don’t know when it will cause a short circuit,” the commission’s director of enforcement and regional coordination, Othman Omar, was quoted saying.

"If the appliance is unsuitable with the house electrical line, it will cause the main fuse to block current to the whole premise.

"For example, for mobile phone chargers, if the gauge and type of cables are unsuitable with the electrical current that can be accommodated, the rubber jacket will melt and causing it to be easily flammable,” he added.

Othman however said that there are still appliances carrying Sirim or ST’s stickers, but still do not obey the standards.

BH Ahad reported that the complication involving Sirim certification is likely caused by the redundant oversight by at least five agencies.

There are five agencies involved in monitoring electrical appliances, including ST, the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry (KPDNKK), the Malaysian Communcations and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), Construction Industry Development Board and the Fire and Rescue Department.

Together, the five agencies cover 178 types of appliances.

"Telecommunication devices such as cables, phones, mobile phones, radio, television, laptops, tablets, fax machines and TV receivers are under the responsibility of the MCMC.

"But accessories such as power banks are not supervised by any government body,” Othman said.

KPDNKK also admitted that its enforcement only covers appliances with Sirim certification, but it is not responsible for ensuring appliances that are imported comply with the standards.

"For now, we are only responsible for controlling electrical toys that do not have the ‘Malaysian Confirmity’ safety label specifically,” KPDNKK director of enforcement Mohd Roslan Mahyuddin was quoted saying.