The Emergency Medical Assistance Service (EMAS) of St John Ambulans Malaysia Wilayah Persekutuan operates as part of the Central Zone Ambulance Services under the jurisdiction of the Emergency Department of Hospital Kuala Lumpur, and is integrated with Malaysia’s national 999 emergency response system (Perkhidmatan Panggilan Kecemasan 999 – Zon Tengah).
EMAS was the brainchild of then Commander-in-Chief YBhg Dato’ Dr Low Bin Tick, and the concept was further developed under the leadership of then Regional Commander YBhg Dato’ Dr Lee Hoo Teong. To bring the idea to life, a dedicated committee was established comprising Regional Officers from SJAM WP — En. John Eric Mah, En. Lee Wing Kwong, En. Michael Yeow (Secretary) — along with En. Burnard Yeo, then Area Commander of SJAM Kawasan Pantai Selangor. YBhg Dato’ Dr Low Bin Tick and YBhg Dato’ Dr Lee Hoo Teong served as Chairman and Co-Chairman respectively.
The Emergency Medical Assistance Service (EMAS), formerly known as Emergency Ambulance Service (EAS), began operations in September 1998, covering Kuala Lumpur with just one ambulance and a small team of four full-time staff: Mr Lee Wing Kwong, Mr Oh Boon Hann, Mr William Khong and Mr Dermudoo. Supported by volunteers during weekends and public holidays, the service operated with basic equipment in its early days and has since been upgraded to a Class B ambulance standard.
Thanks to the efforts of YBhg Dato’ Dr Low Bin Tick, four new ambulances were secured through donations from Keringat Sdn Bhd, Phileo Allied Securities Sdn Bhd, Rotary Club of Kuala Lumpur Di-Raja and Country Heights Sdn Bhd. Two vehicles were stationed at SJAM WP Headquarters and two at SJAM Kawasan Pantai Selangor Headquarters.
A central control centre was later established at SJAM National Headquarters, Jalan Shelley, in a building donated by YBhg Tan Sri Dato’ Seri AP Arumugam. The facility was officially opened by the then Minister of Health, Dato’ Chua Jui Meng, on 14 July 1999, with architectural services provided pro bono by Mr Quah Sek Cheng, a Rotarian friend of YBhg Dato’ Dr Lee Hoo Teong.
The service was renamed Emergency Medical Assistance Service (EMAS) to reflect its expanded role. “Emas“, meaning gold in Malay, highlights the importance of the “Golden Hour” in pre-hospital emergency care. On 1 September 2000, EMAS became Malaysia’s first emergency ambulance service to receive ISO 9002 certification, accredited by RWTÜV.
Since its inception, EMAS has handled over 14,000 cases — primarily motor vehicle accidents and medical emergencies at home. Calls are received from both the public and through the national 999 system. The service now operates 24/7 with two-person ambulance teams and a dedicated dispatcher, supplemented by adult volunteers on public holidays.
To improve response times, especially in cardiac emergencies, EMAS also deploys a motorbike squad made up of trained technicians. These motorbikes were donated by The District Grand Council of Royal & Select Masters of South East Asia.
Now in its 23rd year, EMAS remains a critical part of the emergency response network in the Klang Valley, working closely with the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) and Civil Defence Force (APM), often responding non-stop — even at the expense of meals or rest — in service of the community.
