Fire at religious school: Special committee needs to be set up immediately: DPM

KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today called for the setting up of a special committee to investigate the fire that claimed 23 lives at the Tahfiz Darul Ittifaqyah religious residential school here.
"We have to set up the committee immediately. We don't have to wait for the cabinet meeting next Wednesday to discuss it.
"It is crucial for all quarters involved, the ministries concerned to sit together and discuss," he said, and offered himself to chair the committee.
He told reporters this after visiting victims who were rescued in the fire.
Ahmad Zahid said it was important for all quarters to learn from the incident so that it would not happen again in future.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S.Subramaniam, at a media conference today, said the ministry did not rule out the possibility of setting up a special committee and would bring up the matter to the cabinet at its next meeting.
A total of 21 students and two wardens were killed in a fire at the religious school at Jalan Keramat Ujung here today. — Bernama