KUALA TERENGGANU Feb 5 — The Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) has recorded RM5 billion in losses due to fire nationwide last year.

JBPM deputy director-general (Operations) Datuk Soiman Jahid said the amount had gone up by RM1 billion compared to RM4 billion the previous year.

He said among the contributors to the increase in losses were fires at factories which have high value assets and rising fire cases at housing areas currently.

"As such, despite the increase in losses the number of fire cases showed a drop,” he said.

He said this to reporters after the conferring of the Terengganu JBPM awards and the 2017 Eastern Region Malaysian Fire and Rescue Academy (ABPM) excellent service awards here today.

Also present were Terengganu JBPM director Azlimin Mat Noor and Eastern Region ABPM Academy commandant Sobeeri Basiran. — Bernama