Rising bogus emergencies waste fuel, manpower and risk delaying real life-saving responses.
Malaysia’s Fire and Rescue Department is grappling with a sharp rise in prank emergency calls, many placed around midnight, forcing crews to race to non-existent fires and straining already limited resources.
Midnight False Alarms Stretch Firefighters
In one recent incident, firefighters were dispatched at midnight to a reported forest fire in Tanjung Bungah, Penang, only to find no blaze. Such scenes are becoming common. Director-general Nor Hisham Mohammad said the department now receives prank calls roughly every other day, many about an hour before or after midnight. These hoax alerts, often reporting bush or building fires, divert crews from genuine emergencies and add to operational fatigue across already busy stations.
Prank Calls Jump 80 Per Cent In Three Years
Prank calls have climbed about 30 per cent in recent years, rising from 141 in 2023 to 196 in 2024 and 255 in 2025. As at mid-April 2026, 63 cases had already been recorded. Kedah and Penang currently top the list for such calls. Nor Hisham said there is no clear demographic profile of offenders, suggesting a mix of factors such as easy access to mobile phones, perceived anonymity and curiosity or thrill-seeking behaviour may be driving the trend.
Every Hoax Ties Up Trucks, Fuel And Crews
Each false alarm wastes about 60 minutes, covering mobilisation, travel, on-site verification and the return trip. A single fire engine consumes around 5.73 litres of diesel per minute during high-intensity operations, and typical responses involve both a fire truck and an ambulance manned by about seven personnel. Nor Hisham stressed that during such deployments, the department’s capacity to respond to real incidents is temporarily reduced, which could prove critical if another emergency occurs simultaneously in the same coverage area.
Cases From Penang To Kuala Lumpur Highlight Risks
Beyond the April 3 hoax in Tanjung Bungah, the department received a false report on March 25 about a fire at the City Hall training institute in Kuala Lumpur, again triggering a full response. Most prank calls in 2026 have involved alleged bush fires and building fires, which are treated as high-priority threats. While all reports must be taken seriously until verified, repeated wild goose chases erode efficiency and heighten the risk that crews might be delayed or stretched thin when a genuine large-scale fire or rescue operation breaks out.
Legal Penalties And Call For Multi Pronged Action
Although enforcement falls mainly to the Communications Ministry and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), Nor Hisham is urging a multi pronged approach: stricter enforcement, better use of technology, stronger public education and operational tweaks to filter hoaxes without compromising response times. Under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act, making false emergency calls can attract a fine of up to RM500,000 (approx. S$160,925), a jail term of up to two years, or both. For Indonesians and Singaporeans, the Malaysian experience illustrates how abuse of emergency hotlines can endanger whole communities, underscoring the need for regional awareness, tougher deterrents and responsible use of communications technology.
The surge in prank calls to Malaysia’s Fire and Rescue Department shows how a few irresponsible individuals can drain critical emergency resources, waste fuel and potentially delay life saving responses. For Indonesians and Singaporeans alike, it is a reminder that emergency hotlines are not entertainment; protecting their integrity through education, technology and strict penalties is vital to ensuring firefighters and first responders are available when real disasters strike.
Sources: Straits Times (2026) , The Star (2026)
Keywords: Nor Hisham Mohammad, False Fire Reports, Tanjung Bungah Penang, Kedah And Penang Cases, Section 233 CMA, Diesel And Manpower Wastage
