It is not surprisingly in Malaysia to have frenzied and absurd reactions, especially from enforcement agencies. Take for instance, the bizarre proposal by the Fire and Rescue Department.

Its Director-General Jaafar Sidek Thambi surely fired our imagination - and disgust too - in wanting all Malaysian homes to have at least one fire extinguisher. According to the DG, he had forwarded this proposal to the Housing and Local Government Ministry.

Just like the snatch theft cases where ordinary Malaysians are asked to nab the culprits, now home owners are asked to save their own homes from fires?

I strongly suspect this proposal comes as a result of the fire at Taman Wahyu in Kuala Lumpur where a family of three were burnt to death.

I wonder whether this case justifies a ruling for every Malaysian home to have at least one piece of proper fire-fighting equipment. Firstly, the fire in which the family died was an isolated incident.

Compared to other countries, our ratio (to quote the DG) of one fire to every 2,200 Malaysian homes is not that bad. We are doing well. There are more snatch theft victims than fire victims.

But I'm sure the proposal makes good business sense to the Fire and Rescue Department. Imagine the profits to be derived from some 3.2 million homes which will be required to buy such equipment.

How much will the firefighting equipment companies make? Is the Fire and Rescue department going to recommend these companies? Which agency is going to enforce this proposed requirement?

What type of fire equipment can be bought and what can't? And for what types of fires? Owning a firefighting equipment doesn't mean the owner (or owners) can use it safely. Who conducts classes?

All these questions must be given transparent answers. Fire and Rescue Department personnel should not be promoting certain firefighting equipment in the event certain people make illegal profits.

The Housing and Local Government Ministry, before agreeing to the Fire and Rescue Department's proposal, must first convince the Malaysian public on the 'wisdom' of this ridiculous idea.

I suggest instead of forwarding such frivolous proposals, the Fire and Rescue Department had better spend its time checking fire hydrants throughout all residential areas on a monthly basis at all the townships.

After all there are only 2.2 million homes, according to our Finance Ministry's Property Market report. We have also countless high rise buildings that should matter to the department.

And of course, I remembered the last time I attended a firefighting course, its personnel were promoting the audience to buy certain firefighting extinguishers on the side. So don't blame me for suspecting the proposal.