Over the weekend, news of 7 teenagers between 11 to 18-years-old getting arrested over the horrific tahfiz fire shook the entire nation. How could such young children commit such an atrocity?
Since their arrest, more developments on the case transpired. Here’s what happened so far:
1. 13 policemen have been questioned over leaked information
Source: Free Malaysia Today
Since the 7 youths were arrested for allegedly starting the fire, thirteen policemen are now under investigation for allegedly leaking photos and information about the suspects that went viral all over social media on Friday (15th September).
This leak prompted KL police chief commissioner Amar Singh to call for an urgent press conference on Saturday (16th September), where he clarified the details of the 7 youths arrested who were between 11 and 18 years of age and that they have been remanded for a week.
2. Youths who were arrested reportedly showed no remorse
Source: The Star
When the 7 youths who were arrested for allegedly causing the fire, they reportedly showed no emotion upon being escorted by the police.
“It’s like they did not have any remorse. The teenagers did not even say that they were sorry for having caused the tragedy,” a source told the New Straits Times.
“All of them just looked down most of the time when being questioned about the incident. Maybe they had accepted that they were in the wrong.”
“There was no crying whatsoever to show that they felt sorry, even the young ones.”
The group of youths were suspected to have started the fire as revenge after a verbal exchange with some of the students.
3. Three students who survived have been discharged from hospital while another 4 still warded in ICU
Source: The Sun
According to Hospital Kuala Lumpur’s (HKL) director, three students who survived the horrific blaze have been discharged on Saturday night (16th September), although they still need follow-up treatments.
Meanwhile, 4 students still remain in the hospital, three of them warded in the intensive care unit (ICU) and one of them in the paediatric ICU.
The three patients were not allowed visitors to prevent any possible infection and that it may take them a week to recover. Meanwhile, the student in the paediatric ICU is being monitored as he’s still traumatised by the incident.
4. Victim who survived the fire left traumatised, still ‘hears the voice of the children screaming in pain’
The pregnant wife of the vice-principal of the school survived the fire along with her 4 daughters. Till today, she often thinks about the horrifying incident.
“My wife said she still hears the voice of the children (tahfiz students) screaming in pain during the incident,” her husband told reporters.
5. Recent video shows young boy climbing gate and crawling on all fours to sneak into school
Source: Straits Times
The video shows a boy sneaking into the school at 3.10am, two hours before the blaze which claimed the life of 23. The face of the boy can be clearly seen, leading to the arrest of the 7 teens. The video recording was obtained from the building beside the school.
6. Survivor sedated and fighting for his life. His mother wants the death penalty to be imposed on suspects
Source: New Straits Times
One of the students, 11-year-old Indrakurniawan, reportedly suffered 20 per cent burns from his neck to his buttocks and also on his hands. He also got a broken leg from jumping out of the school’s third floor to escape the fire.
Currently, he is being sedated at HKL’s ICU fighting for his life. Meanwhile, his distraught mother spoke to the New Straits Times, saying that the suspects should not be let off easily if they are indeed found guilty of starting the fire.
“If the seven suspects are indeed guilty, they should be sentenced to death,” Indrakurniawan’s mother told the daily.
“The authorities must investigate what had influenced them to carry out such an act. A death penalty will serve a lesson to others.”
7. Brother of teacher killed in fire forgives teens
Source: NST
The brother said that he forgives the alleged arsonists as he believed that they are still immature and did not intend to kill the perished victims.
“I have forgiven them and I believe that they just wanted to scare off the students and didn’t mean to kill them.”
The 42-year-old said he wants to meet and give advice to them “so that they will repent” and added that, “I hope this tragic incident will be a lesson to other teenagers.”
We hope the authorities will take appropriate action in regards to this case and that the remaining survivors will be able to recover both physically and mentally from this traumatic incident.
Also read: 7 Teens Arrested for Setting Fire to Tahfiz School as Revenge, 6 Tested Positive for Ganja Use
