Damansara Utara assemblyperson Yeo Bee Yin has slammed the Finance Ministry for ordering the purchase of "non-essential" fire-fighting equipment, saying that the money could have been used to better compensate the underpaid fire-fighters.
 
"Why did Putrajaya pay so generously to the supplier but only peanuts to the men and women who are standing at the forefront to protect the lives and property of the rakyat?  
 
"If the RM50 million wasted by the BN government in buying 'CCS Cobra Cutting Extinguisher E300' was used to pay extra bonus to the 13,000 firemen, each fireman could have taken home at least RM3,800 per person. 
 
"This could certainly reduce the burden of many firemen’s families especially in the view of rising cost of living and subsequently boost the morale of the department," she said.
 
Alternatively, the money could be used to purchase more fire engines, hence improving it efficiency and the personal safety of the fire-fighters, she said in a statement yesterday.
 
She said a fire-fighter’s pay is even worse than that of a police officer, with the basic salary of a junior fire-fighter is under RM1,000 while a station commander earns about RM3,800. They are also not entitled to overtime pay.
 
Yeo (right) was responding to the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee's findings on Jan 22 that the 116 units of cutting extinguishers was purchased although the Fire and Rescue Department deems it unnecessary, and the equipment was subsequently underutilised.
 
PAC chief Nur Jazlan Mohamed had said that the Finance Ministry was told to explain the matter as soon as possible.
 
The purchase was made through direct negotiation from Syarikat Kejuruteraan Asas Jaya Sdn Bhd, and was among the issues highlighted in the Auditor-General's 2012 report.
 
Adding to the call for an explanation, Yeo urged the government to "come clean and clear on whether Fire and Rescue Department has been ‘used’ as a channel to enrich others at the expense of the benefits of the firemen and the safety of the public."