Fire incidents in Malaysia are on the rise. In 2017 alone, 49 cases were reported and half of them involved fatalities.
Electrical and Electronics Association President, Chew Shee Fuee said that electrical safety awareness among Malaysians is low, stressing that many are not even aware that the human body itself is a conductor.
Chew also attributed the rising number of fire incidents to the fake and uncertified electrical items that are flooding the market.
In earlier November 2017, Selangor Fire and Rescue Department chief Azmi Osman said that studies on fire investigation reports revealed that most fire incidents are caused by short circuit due to old and unserviced electrical system
"This year alone, we saw 14 lives lost in Selangor due to fire mishaps. This is a drastic increase compared to previous years. After studying these incidents, the department found that most of the cases happened at premises which were over 15 years of age, some more than 20 years."
"While it is costly to have thorough checks, it is still nothing compared to what one can lose in case of fire, including valuables and even lives of loved ones," said Azmi,
