FIRE SERVICES ACT 1988

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contents of the act
Regulations under fire services act 1988
Uniform building by-laws 1984
Conclusion

OBJECTIVES
TO ENABLE THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT TO
FUNCTION EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY IN THE
AIM TO PROTECT HUMAN LIVES AND PROPERTY
FROM THE RISK OF FIRE.
THE EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT FUNTIONING OF
THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
THE PROTECTION OF PERSONS AND PROPERTY
FROM RISK OF FIRE.

CONTENTS OF THE ACT

This Act consists of nine (9) main parts as
legislations and guidance for the Fire Services
Department to achieve its objectives. The contents of
the Act are as follows:

Part I
Part II
Part III
Part IV
Part V
Part VI

Preliminary
Administration
Abatement of Fire-Hazard
Water and Fire Hydrants
Fire Certificates
Enforcement

CONTENTS OF THE ACT

Part VII
Part VIII
Part IX
Schedules 1
Schedule 2

Enquiries into Fires

Welfare Fund
Miscellaneous
Fire-Hazard Abatement Notice.
Ranks of Fire Officers such as
Commissioner, Deputy
Commissioner, Fireman and
Ranks of Auxiliary Fire Officers.

PRELIMINARY

This part consist of the following

provisions:
a) Short title
b) Interpretation

INTERPRETATION

FIRE-HAZARD
Any unlawful alteration to any building. The
overcrowding of any place of public, any
removal or absence from any building of
any fire-fighting equipment or safety
installation, inadequate means of exit from
any part of a building to any place, whether
within or outside the building that provides
safety to persons in the event of a fire.

INTERPRETATION
PREMISES
Includes messages, houses, buildings or
part of a building, land, tenements,
easement and hereditaments of any
tenure, whether open or enclosed, whether
built on or not, whether public or private,
and whether maintained or not under
statutory authority.

INTERPRETATION

Among the functions of the equipments and

installations are:
a) Extinguishing, preventing or limiting a fire
b) Giving warning of a fire
c) Providing adequate, safe egress for the
purpose of evacuation or exist of occupants
in the event of fire.

ADMINISTRATION

This part stipulates the provisions pertaining to

the method of administration of the Fire Services
Department.
The provisions include:
a) The Fire Services Department and its officers
b) Appointment of Auxiliary Fire Officers
c) Duties of Fire Services Department
d) Uniform and identification card
e) Exercise of powers and performance of
duties.

ADMINISTRATION

Duties of the Fire Services Department are as

follows:
a) Take of lawful measures for:
i. Extinguishing, fighting, preventing and
controlling fires
ii. Protecting life and property in the event of
fire
b) Determine the means of exit in the event of fire:
i. Ensuring the provision, maintenance, and
proper regulation of fire escapes for every
premises.

ADMINISTRATION
c) Investigate into the cause, origin, and
circumstances of fires.
d) Perform humanitarian services, including the
protection of life and property in any
calamity.

ABATEMENT OF FIRE-HAZARD

This part stipulate the provisions pertaining to

the method of abating fire-hazards and the
power of the Director General of the Fire
Services Department.
Among the provisions are:
a) fire-hazard abatement notice
b) The power of Director General to abate firehazard in vacant or unoccupied premises.

ABATEMENT OF FIRE-HAZARD
c) Offence of failing to comply with fire-hazard
abatement notice
d) Closing order
e) The power of Fire Services Officer in the
event of fire
f) appeals

WATER AND FIRE HYDRANTS

Adequate storage of water at the premises for
fire fighting purposes
Power to fix fire hydrant location plates
Concealment and misuse of fire hydrants
Notice of works affecting fire hydrants
Duty of water authorities to notify the State
Director of any action affecting the flow of water
to a fire hydrant

FIRE CERTIFICATES
The power of the Director General to determine
and designate particular uses, size, or location
of premises for the purpose of issuance of a Fire
Certificate under the Act
Requirement of Fire Certificate and fees for the
issue of Fire Certificate
The change of conditions affecting adequacy of
life safety facilities.

FIRE CERTIFICATES

Offence in relation to Fire Certificate

Rights of appeal
Courts power and the power of Director
General
i. To prohibit or restrict use of certain
premises
ii. To order to cease activity in cases of
urgency.

ENFORCEMENT

Exercise of power includes:

a) Power to entry
b) Power to arrest without warrant
c) Power of investigation
d) Power to require attendance of witnesses
e) Examination of witnesses
f) Conduct of prosecution

ENQUIRIES INTO FIRES

This part stipulates the provision pertaining
to enquiries as follows:
The Minister may appoint any person or persons
to hold an enquiry
Taking possession of premises and other
property damaged or destroyed by fire until the
completion of the enquiry.

WELFARE FUND
This part stipulates the provisions pertaining to the
welfare fund as follows:

Source of the Welfare Fund, among them are:

a) All fines inflicted upon Fire Officers in any
disciplinary proceedings
b) Donations or rewards offered to the Fund or to
individual member of the Fire Services
Department respectively and accepted by the
Director General
c) All sums of monies and other property offered to
Fire Officers and forfeited by an order of court

WELFARE FUND
Welfare Fund Committee
Monies for Fund to be raised only with consent
Administration and application of Fund

MISCELLANEOUS
This part stipulates the provisions pertaining
miscellaneous (items not covered in other
provisions) as follows:

Special duty and expenses thereof

Offences such as:

a) Interfering with Fire Officers in execution of his
duty
b) Failure to comply with direction
c) Falsification of documents, false statements, etc.
d) Giving of false report of fire.

MISCELLANEOUS

General penalty:RM5,000 or 3 years

imprisonment or both
Compounding of offences
Power to apply Act to vessels and movable
structures
Power to make Regulations by the Minister
Repeal:
a) The Fire Service Enactment of the State of
Sabah
b) Part X of the Local Government

REGULATIONS UNDER FIRE SERVICES

ACT 1988

The Regulations enacted under the Fire

Services Act are:
a) Fire Services (Fee of Pusat Latihan Bomba)
Regulation 1996
b) Fire Services (Fire Services Department
Welfare Fund) Regulation 1997
c) Fire Services (Compounding of Offences)
Regulation 2000
d) Fire Services (Fire Certificate) Regulation
2001

UNIFORM BUILDING BY-LAWS 1984

Was enacted by the Minister/State
Authority under the provision of the Road,
Drainage and Building 1974.
Is enforced by the local authorities

UNIFORM BUILDING BY-LAWS 1984

Among the main provisions stipulated are:

a) Submission of plan for approval
b) Space, light and ventilation
c) Temporary works in connection with building
operations
d) Structural requirements
e) constructional requirements
f) Fire requirements
g) Fire alarms, fire detection, fire extinguishment
and fire fighting access
h) Miscellaneous

CONCLUSION
The Fire Services Act 1988 was enacted to
enable the Fire Services Department to function
effectively and efficiently in the aim to protect
human lives and property from the risk of fire.
The provisions stipulates under the Act give
emphasis on the administration and the
abatement of fire-hazards

CONCLUSION
The Uniform Building By-Laws 1984 stipulates
the detailed provisions for drainage, road and
building construction.
Among the provisions stipulated are those for
construction requirements, fire fighting
requirements, fire alarm, fire detector, fire
extinguisher and access to fight fire.

Any question..????