'There were people loitering near the tahfiz centre before the fire' - PPIM

Malaysian Muslim Consumer Association (PPIM) today revealed that some people had been loitering at the premises next to the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah tahfiz centre prior to the fire.

This was based on a closed circuit television camera (CCTV) footage from the PPIM office, which is located next to the tahfiz centre.

However, PPIM said it was difficult to decipher the footage as it was a village area, therefore the persons' motive for loitering at night was unclear.

According to PPIM chief activist, Datuk Nadzim Johan, more than 20 of their CCTV recordings had been forwarded to the police for further investigation.

"The police will scrutinise the recordings. If there are incidents of sabotage, then it needs to undergo the process of law. Let the police investigate first," he told a press conference Friday.

READ: Tahfiz school fire: Police to probe all angles, including possible arson

Nadzim also hoped that the government would draft a law to regulate all tahfiz centres in the country, as well as impose tighter rules to ensure such fire tragedies did not repeat.

"There are those who call it as fate. Yes, it was fated but if we ourselves are negligent, then it is as though we are inviting such a fate," he added.

A total of 11 remains of the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah tahfiz centre fire victims were laid to rest at the Raudhatul Sakinah Muslim cemetery in Taman Batu Muda here today.