KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 28 — The Ministry of Education (MOE) intends to upgrade fire safety equipment in the old public university buildings under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) 2021-2025.
Minister Dr Maszlee Malik said the MOE would examine the status of buildings at public universities such as Universiti Malaya (UM), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) to ascertain whether or not they meet the latest fire safety standards.
He said he would also ask the universities, which have old buildings, to submit their fire safety plans to the MOE so that it could be reviewed, upgraded and improved.
“We go by the needs, not the age of the buildings. Sometimes buildings can be old but they have all the fire specification, but some old buildings do not have it.
“Where the needs are not met, we will push for the 12th MP. We will ensure that all old buildings will be equipped with the latest specifications,” he said this to reporters after visiting the UM Faculty of Economics and Administration fire site today.
Also present were UM vice-chancellor Datuk Dr Abdul Rahim Hashim and Deputy Director of the Kuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department M Murugiah.
According to media reports, the lecturer office area in the UM Faculty of Economics was destroyed in the fire which broke out at 1.15am yesterday.
However, no casualty was reported and the cause of the fire was still under investigation.
A total of 21 lecturer rooms were involved in the fire on the three-storey building while the total loss is still under investigation.
Maszlee added that an estimated RM2 million was allocated for the renovation of the building, which would take four months to complete. — Bernama
