While giving the opportunity for the team members to simply relax and enjoy each other’s company, the dinner, aptly called “Majlis Anugerah Cemerlang MERS 999”, also served as a much deserved appreciation for all the hard work and to recognise those who have shown exemplary outstanding achievements.
The event was graced by YB Senator Datuk Maglin Dennis D’Cruz, Deputy Minister of Information, Communications and Culture. Dato’ Sri Kamaruddin Siaraf, Secretary General, Ministry of Information, Communications and Culture and Datuk Dr. Halim Shafie, Chairman of TM were also present.
Speaking at the event, Datuk Dr. Halim said, “Moving into its fourth year, MERS 999 has achieved a lot since its 3 years of implementation. This include consolidating all available emergency numbers into a single number – 999; establishing three (3) Call Centres in Kuala Lumpur, Melaka and Kuching, in addition to the 32 Call Centres of the Emergency Agencies; integrating MERS 999 system with closed circuit television (CCTVs) under the Safe City initiative in Cyberjaya and Putrajaya; implementing the capability of Automatic Number Identification (ANI) and Automatic Location Identification (ALI) according to base stations for easier identification of the caller’s location; and implementing Medical Protocol in Bahasa Melayu at the Ministry of Health Call Centre.”
“I am happy to note that TM, as the main organisation in implementing this MERS 999 response system, has been receiving great co-operation from all the agencies involved. So tonight, we would like to celebrate all of you with an appreciation dinner to witness our friends and colleagues, not just from TM, but also other agencies, being recognised for their excellent performance in 2011,” added Datuk Dr. Halim.
The highlight of the evening was the Anugerah Khas Wira MERS 999 which gave recognition to MERS 999’s agencies involved in search and rescue missions during the landslide at Hulu Langat, Selangor in May 2011 which had brought down Rumah Anak-anak Yatim Al-Hidayah Al-Taqwa. The award went to 999 Response Centre, Pusat Gerakan Operasi Bomba Negeri Selangor, Ibu Pejabat Polis Daerah Kajang, Hospital Ampang and Pusat Kawalan JPAM Jalan Padang Tembak. The attendees were also presented with a montage on the incident that was a bittersweet reminder of their sacrifices and dedication that day.
The awards were presented by YB Senator Datuk Maglin Dennis D’Cruz, together with Datuk Dr. Halim Shafie.
During the event, guests were also treated to various performances including a cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) dance and singing performance by the team members and agencies, as well as lucky draws which saw lucky guests walked away with fantastic prizes, courtesy of TM.