Pondok Pak Ya principal recalls tragedy 28 years on

YAN: The fire tragedy at the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah Religious Residential School in Jalan Keramat Ujung, Selangor, early yesterday morning which killed 23 people including two religious teachers touched the heart of the principal of a religious school involved in a similar incident here.
The incident which occurred 28 years ago and killed 27 students of Sekolah Menengah Agama Taufikiah Khairiah Al-Halimiah also known as 'Pondok Pak Ya', remains in the memory of its principal Azizah Yahya, 74.
"It reminded me about the incident that happened in this school, where at that time I was a teacher at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Gurun," she told reporters at the school here.
Azizah, the youngest daughter of 'Pondok Pak Ya' founder, Yahya Junid said she rushed to the school when she was informed about the incident and saw the police bringing the bodies out to be taken to the mosque for cleansing.
During the tragedy on Sept 22, 1989, a fire that started at about 2.30am, razed eight blocks of a girl's hostel, killing 27 students while six managed to escape with injuries.

Azizah said the girl's hostel destroyed during the tragedy was rebuilt as the main hall.
She said the school's wooden buildings including the hostels, classes, office and canteen were replaced with concrete buildings through the assistance from the federal and state governments as well as the public.
The school currently has 573 students comprising 291 females and 282 males.
She said the school cooperated with the Fire Department and established the pondok school fire squad to look after safety of the students and hostel. — Bernama