PUTRAJAYA: A special joint committee involving the Communications Ministry and the Health Ministry (MOH) will be established to ensure the efficiency and reliability of the Next Generation Malaysian Emergency Response Services 999 (NG MERS 999).
In a joint statement, Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil and Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the committee will review technical and operational matters, oversee the seamless delivery of emergency services and submit weekly reports to the cabinet.
“Both ministers also visited the NG MERS 999 control centre today. Since the system began operating up to noon today, NG MERS 999 has received 323,957 calls, with 170 professional emergency officers manning 1,302 workstations.
“Ninety-five per cent of the calls were processed within eight seconds. A 24-hour technical support centre is also available nationwide to provide assistance and maintenance whenever required,” the statement said.
It added that the MOH is implementing an interim workflow to manage medical emergency calls to ensure optimal clinical and medical response.
“Through these adjustments, the ambulance activation process can be carried out in a more orderly manner, following workflow procedures that have proven reliable prior to integration,” it said, noting that the matter was raised at today’s cabinet meeting.
The statement said the NG MERS 999 system continues to operate at full capacity as the national emergency platform for all agencies, including the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), the Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM), the Civil Defence Force (APM) and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA). The 999 Response Centre also receives calls via the NG MERS 999 system.
“The Medical Emergency Coordination Centre (MECC) remains an integral component of the NG MERS 999 ecosystem and continues to coordinate calls requiring the involvement of other agencies through the NG MERS 999 Control Centre,” it said.
NG MERS 999, developed to enhance the nation’s emergency response through a faster, more accurate, modern and inclusive communications network, became fully operational on Nov 16. It replaces the MERS 999 system introduced in 2007.
The system covers 837 operational locations, with an estimated annual operating cost of about RM113 million, reflecting expanded coverage, improved infrastructure, inter-agency integration and strengthened cybersecurity requirements.
“This system is a critical component in the delivery of national emergency services involving five main agencies: PDRM, JBPM, APM, MMEA and MOH,” the statement added.
SaveME999 (for the public) and the Responder App (for responders) were developed to support the NG MERS 999 system, costing RM880,000 for both — representing 0.78 per cent of the annual operating cost — and include database services.
The SaveME999 app, developed in 2013, now integrates three existing applications — SaveMEBlind, SaveMEDeaf and SaveMEPolice — designed to digitally transmit location and emergency information, and continues to serve as an additional channel within the NG MERS 999 ecosystem.
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