Tahfiz fire victims were very close to my heart: Rosmah

PUTRAJAYA: The recent fire tragedy at Tahfiz Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah had a profound effect on Prime Minister's wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor and her family.
Rosmah, who is also president of the Welfare Association of Wives of Ministers and Deputy Ministers (Bakti) and patron of the Global Children's Well-being Fund, said the religious school was very close to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak's family.
"These children from the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah are very special and close to my heart. They had been coming for years, every Thursday night, to our home in Taman Duta to recite Yassin, Mansyil verses and perform prayers.
"The students also recited the entire Quran and perform Terawih prayers during Ramadan," she said.
She said this when delivering contributions totaling RM1.6 million to the families and students of the school at Seri Perdana here today.
Najib was also present to spend time with the families affected by the tragedy.
In the 5.15am fire on Sept 14, 21 students and two teachers who were also wardens were trapped in the dormitory located on the third floor of the building.
At the event today, Rosmah presented contributions to 40 recipients, including families of 23 fire victims who perished in the fire, and six families of injured students and another 11 students who survived the fire.
Families of the students and teachers who perished in the fire received RM10,000 each (RM5,000 from Bakti and RM5,000 from Global Children's Well-being Fund).
The injured students received RM6,000 each (RM3,000 from Bakti and RM3,000 from Global Children's Well-Being Fund), while the students who escaped unhurt received RM2,000 each.
Rosmah also announced that the bereaved families received another RM50,000 each from a generous individual while each injured student received RM20,000 and those who escaped unhurt, RM5,000 each.
Meanwhile, Hartini Abdul Ghani, 48, a mother of seven, who lost her sixth child Nik Muhammad Ridzwan Nik Azlan, 12, in the tragedy, said she was touched by the concern of the prime minister's family for the victims.
"Nik Muhammad Ridzwan often told me how excited he was to perform prayers and recite the Quran at the Prime Minister's house," she recalled. — Bernama