The hazards of fake emergency calls

: Admin UKK; Berita; 15 Julai 2025

KOTA BHARU:

Behind the routine of an incoming emergency call lies an often overlooked reality – fake or prank calls can mean the difference between saving and losing a life.

Kelantan fire and rescue department director Farhan Sufyan Borhan said although the country’s emergency response system has become more sophisticated thanks to 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 said before the implementation of MERS 999, the fire department had to bear the cost of every incoming call.

“Some people would call because they were broken-hearted; others used public phones just to make jokes. Back then, the fire department had to foot the phone bill.”

Now, with the MERS 999 system operated free of charge by TM, every emergency call undergoes a preliminary screening process. 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,” he said.

“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.”

Farhan explained 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.

“The system is designed to ensure a fast and efficient response, no matter which centre handles the call. So, for example, if a call from Sabah is routed to Sarawak, it doesn’t cause any delays.”

He also recalled a tragic incident during his time in Sabah, when the fire department was accused of being late to a scene that resulted in three fatalities.

“The caller gave an incomplete address, and the commander had to seek additional information. The fire spread too quickly,” he said, stressing that the case served as a critical reminder of the importance of providing complete and accurate details during emergency calls.

Farhan, who urges the public to use MERS 999 responsibly and only in genuine emergencies, stressed that fake and prank calls are not just a nuisance – they can delay aid to actual victims.

As such, calls of this nature are considered a crime, even though no fake callers have been prosecuted in Kelantan so far.

According to Kelantan JBPM, as of July 7, the department has received 2,053 calls, including 796 fire cases, 1,173 rescue operations, 76 special tasks, and eight fake calls.

The department recorded seven fake calls in 2023 and another seven last year, as well as two in 2022.

Berita

The hazards of fake emergency calls