PETALING JAYA (Nov 28): Starting next year, all houses will have to undergo mandatory checks on electrical wiring every 10 years, according to a Bernama report.

This follows the new amendment of the Electricity Regulations 1994, said the Energy Commission’s Electrical Safety Development Head Iffah Hannah Muluk.

“Previously, we do not have such regulations. Due to the lack of awareness on electrical safety, people do not conduct checks on electrical wiring until something happens,” she said yesterday.

The new stipulation was prompted by a number of fire incidents, especially those involving residential properties, which had resulted in fatalities.

Since 2002, 914 fire incidents resulting in deaths have been reported, with just over half involving houses.

This year alone, 49 cases were reported with half of them resulting in deaths.

Meanwhile, Electrical and Electronics Association president Chew Shee Fuee said awareness among Malaysians on electrical safety is low, with many people not even knowing that the human body is a conductor.

“People nowadays think that everything can be a do-it-yourself. They see online and they try doing it without having proper knowledge. This is very dangerous as it can lead to electrocution,” he said.

Chew also said that an influx of fake and uncertified electrical items, especially phone cables and chargers, is worrisome since such products are prone to electric leakage, which can lead to electrocution and, in the worst case, fires.

“We need to be aware. For these items, if anything happens, nobody can trace it back to who is the manufacturer. For safety, please use items that are certified,” he said.

He also advised everyone to only use extension wires for appliances that need low voltage.

“Do not use it on major appliances such as fridge, oven and microwave. You are putting the lives of everyone in the house in danger. To be safe, unplug all appliances when you are not using them to reduce the risk of fire,” he said.