ELEVEN tahfiz pupils were buried this evening under gloomy skies at Raudhatul Sakinah Muslim cemetery in Gombak, where a crowd of 500 people, including members of the public, had gathered to lay the boys to rest.

Neatly-dug graves had been prepared in rows this morning for the bodies, which arrived on hearses from the Kuala Lumpur Hospital.

Twenty-one students, aged 11 to 17, and two wardens perished in a pre-dawn fire at the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah tahfiz school in Kampung Datuk Keramat, Kuala Lumpur, yesterday.

Federal Territories mufti Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri gave a short sermon and recited the prayers before the boys were laid to rest.

The body of Muhammad Aidil Aqmal Mohd Zamzuri, 10, arrived first and was buried about 6.30pm 

Three brothers Muhammad Syafik Haikal Mohd Sulaiman, Muhammad Hafiz Iskandar Sulaiman, and Muhammad Harris Ikhwan Mohd Sulaiman, aged 13, 11 and 10, respectively, were also buried, along with Muhammad Hazim Ahmad Nor (13), Ahmad Harith Adam Mohd Nor Hadi (12), Muhammad Nizammudin Nasrun (13), Muhammad Taufik Hidayat Norazizan (16), Amiel Asyraaf Abd Rasid (11), Muhammad Zattulah Roslan (11), and Muhammad Danieal Md Amin (14). 

Many of those in attendance said they came because they were moved by the tragedy and wanted to share in the grief.

“As a fellow Muslim, I’m sad that such an incident has happened for the second time in our country. That’s why, when I saw in the news that they are going to bury the boys here, I decided to come. 

“I hope we learn our lesson and all boarding schools will take precautionary measures to ensure their dormitories are safe,” Azlina,43, from Gombak said. 

Bahar Nordin Abdullah said he felt sorry for the to the victims’ families as the tragedy could have been prevented.  

“But we need to identify the cause first before pointing fingers,” said the 60-year-old, who lived nearby.

Nas, 58, had come to attend the burial after work.

“It’s unfair to accuse the school as the police are still investigating the case. 

“But I also understand the situation in private religious schools. They are funded by the public and rely on school fees paid by the parents. 

“I have a daughter who also attends a religious school. This incident has raise some concerns, but I’m not going to take my kid out of school. If it’s fated to happen, it will happen,” he said.

A recital of “talqin” (farewell prayers) led Mohamad Shukeri Yaaccob ended the ceremony at 8.49pm. – September 15, 2017.