Ever wonder what ‘bomba’ means? Melaka firefighter chief says term has Portuguese roots
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In Portuguese, firefighters are known as “bombeiros”, a word that was gradually adopted by locals in Melaka.
PHOTO: THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
MELAKA – The Bahasa Malaysia term “bomba”, used to refer to the Fire and Rescue Department, originated from the Portuguese language, which has a link to the colonial past of the historic city.
Melaka Fire and Rescue director Mohd Zaidi Ma’at said the term likely dates back to the Portuguese era, explaining that in Portuguese, firefighters are known as “bombeiros”, a word that was gradually adopted by locals.
Mr Zaidi said he began researching the department’s historical roots after frequently being asked by members of the public about the origin of the term.
“Many people are curious as to why we do not use a direct translation such as ‘api dan penyelamat’ from the English term ‘fire and rescue’.
“What many do not realise is that the word ‘bomba’ carries a long historical background,” he said after the Melaka Fire and Rescue’s annual parade ceremony at its headquarters in Bukit Katil on Feb 3.
Beyond its historical significance, Mr Zaidi said the department is also strengthening its organisational culture through the introduction of the Kita Bomba (We are Firefighters) aspiration.
He explained that the initiative is anchored on the Bomba principles – Brave, Ombudsman (Integrity), Merit, Bold Brand and Achievement, which serve as the core values guiding officers in the performance of their duties.
“The concept of ‘kita’ (we) reflects our shared identity and sense of togetherness, while the Bomba principles form the foundation of how we work, make decisions and uphold integrity in serving the community,” he said.
At the event, Mr Zaidi revealed that irresponsible disposal of cigarette butts and uncontrolled rubbish burning were among the main factors contributing to a fivefold increase in open burning cases recorded in January 2026 compared with January 2025.
He said 285 cases were recorded in January 2026, compared with 57 cases in January 2025, involving rubbish, dry grass and shrubs, forests and agricultural land.
“Such fires don’t spark on their own and some factors triggered them .Among the main contributing factors, we believe, is smoking, as many of these incidents occur along roadside areas,” he said.
Mr Zaidi added that road users might have discarded cigarette butts and with the current hot weather conditions and strong winds, sparks from cigarettes can easily ignite surrounding dry vegetation.
“Similarly, uncontrolled rubbish burning also poses a serious risk,” he said.
Elaborating further, he said land-clearing activities and the burning of agricultural waste by farmers had also contributed to the rising statistics.
“The current drier and hotter conditions increase the risk of open burning incidents, although the country is expected to experience the north-east monsoon until March,” he added.
He reminded the public not to carry out open burning without proper control and to remain vigilant during activities involving fire, including camping. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
