04/08/2025
MONDAY | AUG 4, 2025
5 Electrical faults behind 60% of house fires in Malaysia
Two men lose over RM400,000 in online scams KUALA TERENGGANU: Two men lost more than RM400,000 in separate online investment scams, one of which also involved a love scam. In Kuala Terengganu, a 54-year-old lecturer was cheated of RM172,170 after being lured into a cryptocurrency investment scheme by a woman he met through the TilMatch app. Terengganu police chief ACP Azli Mohd Noor said the victim made five transfers totalling RM162,170 but received no returns and realised he had been duped when asked to invest further. He was also tricked in a love scam involving another woman on the same app. An accomplice, posing as a courier representative, demanded RM12,500 to release a parcel supposedly held by customs. The victim paid RM10,000 with his remaining savings before discovering the account was linked to a scam. Meanwhile, in Jerantut, Pahang, a 67 year-old engineer lost RM230,000 after joining a bogus investment scheme offered via WhatsApp. Pahang police chief Datuk Seri Yahaya Othman said the man was promised returns of up to RM150,000 for a RM50,000 investment and made nine transfers to four bank accounts between July 16 and 30. He became suspicious after being repeatedly asked to pay more due to alleged processing issues. – Bernama Machete-wielding man injures officer KUANTAN: A police corporal was injured after being slashed with a machete by a man believed to be mentally unstable at a house in Felda Bukit Kuantan on Saturday. Pahang police chief Datuk Seri Yahaya Othman said the incident left Cpl Mohd Shafril Izzwan Ismail, 37, from the Panching police station, with injuries to his back, chin and fingers. The attack occurred at about 5.30pm when a police team responded to reports of a man running amok with a machete inside the house. “While attempting to calm the situation, Mohd Shafril was attacked by the suspect with the weapon. He was taken to Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital and is now being treated in the Yellow Zone,” Yahaya said in a statement yesterday. Police later arrested the 37-year-old unemployed suspect and seized several sharp weapons at the scene. He has been referred to the psychiatric ward for mental health evaluation. – Bernama
PUTRAJAYA: About 60% of house fires in Malaysia are caused by electrical issues, according to the Fire and Rescue Department. Its director-general Datuk Seri Nor Hisham Mohammad said the main culprits include unsafe wiring, non compliant electrical modifications and the excessive use of high powered appliances. “Many people take electrical safety at home lightly. Old wiring, frequent tripping of switches and appliances such as air conditioners, water heaters and chest freezers often lead to electrical overloads,” he told Bernama. He warned that common mistakes, such as reconnecting a blown fuse or bypassing safety
o Fire department urges inspections every 10 to 15 years and warns against tampering with fuses or wiring
Bus crash prompts safety audit and probe on driver KUALA LUMPUR: The Road Transport Department (RTD) will conduct a safety inspection and audit on the company operating the bus involved in a recent incident at Jalan Persiaran Universiti 1, Universiti Putra Malaysia in Serdang. RTD director-general Datuk Aedy Fadly Ramli said the department received a report on the incident and has referred the matter to the police for further investigation. “RTD will carry out a safety inspection and audit on the bus operator and take appropriate action once the audit is completed,” he told Bernama yesterday. The incident occurred at 12.18pm on Saturday and involved a bus carrying five teachers and 30 kindergarten children on an outing. Viral dashcam footage showed the bus veering off the road and crashing into a tree. Serdang district police chief ACP Muhamad Farid Ahmad said three children and one teacher sustained head injuries and were treated as outpatients at Serdang Hospital. The bus driver was detained to assist investigations under Section 42 of the Road Transport Act 1987. In a statement issued yesterday, Muhamad Farid said preliminary findings indicate the crash was likely caused by the driver falling into a microsleep due to fatigue. The 44-year-old male driver has been remanded for two days to assist with the investigation. Initial tests confirmed he was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the incident. “However, records show he has 13 traffic summonses registered under his name,” Muhamad Farid added. fire extinguishers,” he added. Nor Hisham recommended that all homes and buildings be equipped with at least one fire extinguisher to allow swift action when a fire breaks out. “Our guiding principle is prevention over cure. According to the Sendai Framework, every ringgit invested in prevention can save up to RM8 in losses,” he said. The Sendai Framework is a global agreement aimed at reducing disaster risks between 2015 and 2030. It focuses on understanding risk, strengthening governance, investing in resilience and enhancing preparedness to reduce loss of life, economic damage and infrastructure impact.
reset it – get a qualified electrician to check it,” he said. He also cited unattended cooking and gas leaks as other major causes of house fires. Despite an increase in the number of structural fires, estimated property losses dropped to RM1.6 billion in 2023 from RM2.66 billion in 2022. “This decline is due to quicker response times and growing public awareness, including the early use of
mechanisms, can trigger serious fires, particularly when the system fails to cut off power during a short circuit or overheating. Nor Hisham advised homeowners to have their wiring inspected by a licensed electrician every 10 to 15 years, especially in older homes or newly completed buildings. “Don’t ignore early warning signs. If a socket keeps tripping, don’t just
LIQUID GUISE ... Johor police chief Datuk M. Kumar (centre) displaying drugs yesterday that were seized from a drug trafficking syndicate led by a Vietnamese woman, which used drink packets such as coffee and juice to conceal narcotics. – BERNAMAPIC
Rising API, spreading fires put Sarawak on high alert
Ű BY JOSEPH PETER newsdesk@thesundaily.com
department said in a statement. The fire began in a pineapple and oil palm plantation near Logan Unga, located along the Marudi– Miri road, about 60km inland from Miri. Last week, the Air Pollutant Index (API) in Marudi surged beyond the unhealthy level of 154 due to the blaze. The Marudi fire is one of several active hotspots across Sarawak, which has been on red alert for haze and wildfires for over two weeks. Firefighters have been working around the clock to contain dozens of ground fires across the state. In Kota Samarahan, a landfill fire
State disaster management committee chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah said on Thursday that 220 hotspots had been recorded across Sarawak in the past two weeks. In response, the department’s Air Wing has carried out aerial water bombings in Mukah and Marudi, where thick vegetation, dry conditions and inaccessible terrain have hampered ground efforts. Authorities continue to urge the public to refrain from open burning, warning that dry weather and combustible peat soil significantly increase the risk of fast-spreading fires and haze.
continues to burn across three hectares, while additional hotspots – covering 5ha collectively – were reported in Sarikei, Sibu and Betong. In Kuala Baram, just 25km from Miri, a peat fire erupted four days ago near the Pan Borneo Highway, close to the Sarawak–Brunei border. At its peak, the fire engulfed 16ha before being extinguished using the total flooding method. To put the scale into perspective, a single hectare is roughly equivalent to 2.5 acres or more than two football fields. Fires of this size can be detected by satellites as red hotspots on orbiting imagery.
KUCHING: A massive peatland fire in northern Sarawak has entered its ninth day, with more than 76ha still burning in the Marudi district, threatening nearby agricultural estates and forest reserves. The Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department confirmed yesterday that firefighters remain on the ground, battling the blaze with water jets as it spreads through peat-rich forest and plantation areas. “Today is the ninth day of the Marudi fire. The latest estimate is 76.72ha are still burning,” the
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