When Seconds Matter: Fake Emergency Calls Risk Lives And Legal Action

Barnama

13-07-2025

KOTA BHARU, July 13 (Bernama) -- Behind the routine sound of an emergency call ringing lies a harsh, often overlooked reality: every fake call isn't a harmless prank - it can mean the difference between saving a life and losing one.
Kelantan Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) director Farhan Sufyan Borhan said that although Malaysia's emergency response system has become increasingly sophisticated through the Malaysian Emergency Response Services (MERS) 999, fake and prank calls continue to pose a serious challenge, often disrupting critical rescue operations.
'Fake calls occur when the caller provides a full address, but upon arrival, no real incident has taken place. Prank calls, on the other hand, involve the caller remaining silent, making jokes, or merely seeking attention. The key difference is that prank calls are usually filtered by Telekom Malaysia (TM) before they reach us,' he told Bernama recently.
He also recalled his experience before the implementation of MERS 999, when the fire department had to bear the cost of every incoming call.
'Some people called because they were broken-hearted, others used public phones just to make jokes. Back then, it was the fire department that had to foot the phone bill,' he said.
Now, with the MERS 999 system operated free of charge by TM, every emergency call undergoes a preliminary screening process. Additionally, caller details such as name and location are recorded to help expedite response times.
'By the time MERS 999 connects the call to us, the nearest fire station has already received the 'call sheet' and is preparing to deploy. However, we still need to ask the caller for more details, such as the type of fire or the condition of the victim, so the commander can better plan the operation.
He added that the MERS 999 system is operated simultaneously by three call centres located in Cheras, Melaka, and Kuching in Sarawak.
'If one centre is busy, the call is automatically redirected to another without affecting response time,' he said.