KUALA LUMPUR, July 29 — The Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia (Bomba) is including the body-mass index (BMI) as a criterion for awards and promotions, with an ideal reading now required for either.

According to Kosmo, Bomba director-general Datuk Nor Hisham Mohammad said the initiative was to ensure that officers were physically able to perform their physically strenuous duties as firefighters and rescue personnel.

“A total of 1,900 people or 17 per cent of JBPM officers and members have been identified as overweight.

“Some of them are also found to have non-communicable diseases such as high blood pressure,” he was quoted as saying.

He also said personnel flagged as obese would be required to undergo the department’s “Wellness Hub” programme, which was launched two months ago.

Nor Hisham said the programme was available in 26 location nationwide and has shown encouraging results.

The BMI is commonly used as a rough indicator of a person’s body fat level, based on a ratio of their weight to their height.

https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/07/29/slim-pickings-only-bomba-to-restrict-promotions-from-those-who-dont-restrict-calories/145340