Who to call in Penang: emergencies, water, power, floods and councils

The short version

• For an emergency, call 999. It reaches the police, fire and rescue, health, maritime and civil defence services.
• Water problems: PBAPP's 24-hour call centre is 04 255 8 255.
• Power cut or broken streetlight: TNB, 15454.
• Flood and weather warnings: Public InfoBanjir and METMalaysia, both online.
• Street and drain complaints go to your city council. Penang has two: MBPP, and MBSP for Seberang Perai.

Emergencies: 999

The government portal says Malaysia Emergency Response Services (MERS) 999 joins five emergency services on one number, 999. They are the police (Polis Diraja Malaysia), the fire and rescue department (Jabatan Bomba dan Penyelamat Malaysia), the Ministry of Health, the maritime enforcement agency (Agensi Penguatkuasaan Maritim Malaysia) and the civil defence department (Jabatan Pertahanan Awam).

Source: MyGovernment portal, MERS 999, read 2026-10-11.

Water: PBAPP

Perbadanan Bekalan Air Pulau Pinang (PBAPP) runs the water supply.

• 24-hour call centre: 04 255 8 255
• Email: customer@pba.com.my
• General office: 04 200 6 600 (office hours only)

PBAPP's customer care centres are open Monday to Friday. Enquiries run from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. Payments run from 8:15 am to 4:30 pm. The centres listed are Balik Pulau, Bayan Baru, Bukit Mertajam, Jawi, Kepala Batas, Komtar, Perai Complex, Rifle Range and Taman Selat. Addresses are on the customer care centres page.

For planned water cuts, PBAPP points to its notices site, notices.pba.com.my, where you pick a district and a date range. Its myPBA mobile app also lets you lodge a report and see the latest interruption notices.

Sources: PBAPP customer care centres, water bill and payments and customer services and notices, read 2026-10-11.

Power: TNB

Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) says to call or send an SMS to 15454 for a power outage or breakdown. This works anywhere in Peninsular Malaysia where there is mobile coverage. It is also the number for a faulty street light. TNB asks you to have your contact number, name and address ready, and to say whether neighbours are affected too.

For bills and account questions, TNB's billing line is 1 300 88 5454. It is open Monday to Friday, 8.00 am to 7.00 pm, and on weekends and public holidays, 8.00 am to 5.00 pm.

TNB's home page also carries a Power Alert link.

Sources: TNB Careline and TNB home page, read 2026-10-11.

Floods and weather

Public InfoBanjir is the flood warning website of the Jabatan Pengairan dan Saliran (Department of Irrigation and Drainage). Its home page has an "Amaran Banjir Terkini" (latest flood warning) section and a station summary with four levels: Normal, Waspada, Amaran and Bahaya (normal, alert, warning, danger). Its pages give no flood hotline number.

Jabatan Meteorologi Malaysia (METMalaysia, the weather department) shows a hotline of 1-300-22-1638 on its home page. Its menu includes a page of warning criteria.

Sources: Public InfoBanjir and METMalaysia, read 2026-10-11.

Your city council

Majlis Bandaraya Pulau Pinang (MBPP)

• Level 17, KOMTAR, Jalan Penang, 10675 Pulau Pinang
• Telephone: 04-259 2020
• Hotline: 04-263 7637 or 04-263 7000
• Online complaints: aduan.mbpp.gov.my

Majlis Bandaraya Seberang Perai (MBSP)

MBSP describes itself as the local government that administers Seberang Perai.

• Menara Bandaraya, Jalan Perda Utama, Bandar Perda, 14000 Bukit Mertajam
• Telephone: 04-5497555
• Complaints call centre, office hours: 04-269 6969
• Emergency and disaster line, toll free, 24 hours: 1-800-88-6777
• Email: aduan@mbsp.gov.my

Sources: MBPP and MBSP, read 2026-10-11.

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