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KUALA LUMPUR, March 26 — The scorching afternoon sun proved too much for 20 uniformed personnel, who fainted during the 209th Police Day celebrations at the Police Training Centre (Pulapol) here yesterday.
They comprised general duty personnel, members of VAT 69, the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) and staff of the traffic division, who had assembled in the parade square at 2.30pm as the heat soared to 34 degrees Celcius.
Just as Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s arrival was announced at 3pm, the first man, an FRU personnel, collapsed.
This was followed by two more who fainted within 10 minutes. The others crumbled while Najib and Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar gave their speeches.
Noticing the personnel fainting in the heat, Najib said he would give a brief speech.
“My wife told me to keep my speech short. It would also not be fair to make the officers stand in the scorching heat for too long,” he said.
The personnel who collapsed were taken to a nearby tent where they were given first aid.
A spectator said it was very hot during the parade, even for those in the shade.
“It felt like 40 degrees and the ones affected by the heat were very obvious as you can see them swaying as others stood still,” he said.
On March 16, a police trainee had died of heatstroke after undergoing orientation at the Segamat Police Training Centre.
Azizan Ayob, 23, fainted during a run at the end of the orientation held at an indoor track, and died at 10.26pm in Segamat Hospital.
The Police Day celebrations was observed throughout the country and in Negri Sembilan, firefighters from the Bandar Sri Jempol Fire and Rescue Station were called to spray water on the men in the parade every 10 minutes.
District police chief Supt Noorzainy Mohd Noor said: “The officers were standing in 36 degree heat, and I am relieved no one collapsed during the celebration.”
The Health Ministry said 39 Malaysians suffered from heat-related complications from March 3 until last Wednesday.
It disease control division director Dr Chong Chee Kheong said eight of them had heatstroke, while the others suffered heat exhaustion.
“We have been keeping a record of heat-related complications since March 3, and we will continue keep track of the problem.
“We really hope the people would not spend too much time in the sun. It is common sense, you know the weather is unusually hot, stand in the shade if you must be outside,” Dr Chong said.
Complications that are caused by the increasingly hot weather ranges from heat rash, cramps to heat exhaustion, with heatstroke being the most serious form of heat-afflicted complications, and is considered a medical emergency.
