Tahfiz tragedy: 'What has happened to our children?' - Lee Lam Thye

Serious and deep reflection regarding the revenge arson attack at Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah tahfiz school must be done by everyone.

This is the opinion of Malaysia Crime Prevention Foundation (MCPF) senior vice-chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye who said the failure of the family institution is the main cause behind the notorious crime act of the teen arsonists.

"What has happened to our children? How are their taught and brought up to differentiate between what is right and what is wrong?

"Why this group of teens engage in violent acts like burning (the tahfiz centre)?" he asked in an interview in Buletin Awani Khas aired on Astro AWANI last night.

Lee said parents have to monitor their childrens whereabouts to avoid them from getting involved in crime.

"What are the parents role? Do they know what their children are doing? The social media factor also has impact on children nowadays," he said.

Lee hoped that the tragedy that happened at the tahfiz centre will be a lesson and all parties should play their roles so that such an incident will not happen again.

On Saturday, police arrested seven teens between the ages of 11 to 18, to assist investigation regarding the arson case, in which 23 students of the centre perished. The arrests were made after CCTV identification.

Kuala Lumpur Police Chief, Datuk Amar Singh had said that insults and name calling exchanged between the youths and the students early in the week was believed to be the trigger that led to the fatal fire.