Comply or face action, tahfiz schools told

PETALING JAYA: Tahfiz (Islamic religious) centres that have been issued with notices but failed to comply with the Fire and Rescue Department’s safety requirements will face court action and even closure.

Department DirectorGeneral Datuk Wan Mohd Nor Ibrahim said each centre has been given specific time frames to upgrade their fire safety measures to meet the stipulated standards, failing which action will be taken against them.

“We have given them a reasonable amount of time to meet our safety standards, not too long and not too short. This (time frame) is different for each offence.

“We will do a follow-up check on them, and if we find that they have failed to comply, which is an offence, they can be charged in court.

“Schools with very poor safety standards will be asked to close if they do not comply,” he told theSun yesterday.

However, he did not say what were the specific time frames given.

Wan Mohd had, on Sunday, said over 50% of the 956 tahfiz schools that have been checked by the department nationwide were found to be unsafe.

The common offence, included not having fire safety equipment and premises that do not not have enough exits or fire escapes.

The inspections were conducted following a fire tragedy at the Tahfiz Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah in Kampung Datuk Keramat in Kuala Lumpur on Sept 14 that claimed 23 lives.