Government prepared to consider proposal to require fire drills for tahfiz schools

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Seri Dr Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri said fire drills were important and timely to prevent any untoward incidents happening to tahfiz students.

He said the school administration were also urged to work with Fire and Rescue Department to be 'adoptive schools' to increase awareness of fire preventive measures and avoid fires.

"At the very least, students will get basic training (of what to do) during fires which would prevent them panicking," he told reporters after visiting the Maahad Integrasi Tahfiz Selangor (MITS) Kuala Langat here today.

Zulkifli also expressed sadness over the fire which broke out on the third floor of the girls' hostel in MITS Kuala Langat early Tuesday morning and said the Federal Government would provide any assistance to lighten the burden of the school.

Earlier, during the visit, Zulkifli handed his personal donation of RM20,000 to MITS Kuala Langat.

He also presented a cash donation of RM3,000 from Yayasan Dakwah Islamiah Malaysia and food items worth RM2,000 from Yayasan Pembangunan Ekonomi Islam Malaysia.

In the incident on Tuesday, 132 female students of MITS Kuala Langat escaped after their hostel on the third floor of the building caught fire.