A screengrab from the video showing a civilian attacking a firefighter who was dousing the flames at a house n Kampung Belipat, Lawas last Saturday.
MIRI (June 20): The Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) has expressed regret over an incident where one of the firefighters who was carrying out firefighting duties at a house in Kampung Belipat, Lawas was attacked by a civilian at the scene at around 3.18pm last Saturday.
According to Sarawak Bomba director Khirudin Drahman, this was the first of such incident involving a firefighter in Sarawak.
“The firefighter acted professionally while carrying out his duties and responded through the right channel by lodging a police report at 9.14pm last (Saturday) night.
“However, around 12.45am today (June 20), the firefighter withdrew the police report made earlier out of his own will after receiving an apology from the perpetrator who regretted and realised the offence that he had committed due to his failure in controlling his emotions after seeing his ancestral home being destroyed by fire,” he said in a statement today.
During the incident, a family of four was left homeless after a fire razed their wooden house, as well as two vehicles – a MPV and a four-wheel-drive (4WD).
Limbang Bomba chief Awangku Mohd Hazmin Awang Zainal said fortunately, all family members managed to escape without suffering any injuries.
The cause of the fire and total losses have yet to be ascertained.
Following the incident, Khirudin hoped that the community will continue to respect and understand the duties and responsibilities of the firefighters in dealing with an incident especially those involving fire and rescue.
“In this issue, Bomba has shown a professional attitude while carrying out duties and has always been tolerant and considerate in dealing with any issues or problems encountered.
“It should be noted that Section 51 of the Fire Services Act 1988 stipulated that any person who willfully abuses, assaults, disturbs, hinders, obstructs, or interferes with any Fire Officer or Auxiliary Fire Officer acting in the execution of his duty of any other person assisting the Fire Services Department under specific directions of the officer-in-charge shall be guilty of an offence and is liable to a fine not exceeding RM50,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or both, upon conviction,” said Khirudin.
Khirudin hoped that such incident will not happen again in the future.
“The community out there should continue to support Bomba’s efforts in fire prevention programmes as well as community firefighting activities.
“The programmes that have been implemented by Bomba are very beneficial, especially in preventing fire incidents and early action that can be taken in the event of a fire. If such practices are always taken and practiced, then any major fire incidents can be avoided,” he added.