KUALA PILAH: The Negri Sembilan Islamic Affairs Department has ordered the closure of a religious school here after it was found to have failed to comply with existing rules.
Department director Mohd Asri Abdullah said the school, which is believed to have links to an organisation under investigation that deals with Islamic products, was also being probed for violating provisions under Section 25c of the Control of Islamic Religious Schools Enactment 1996 (Negri Sembilan).
He advised the management of Islamic schools in the state to register with the department and comply with relevant regulations.
Department enforcement chief Ahmad Zaki Hamzah said conditions at the school based in two houses was bad as 40 male students had to live in cramped conditions.
He said the department had conducted checks on Sept 6 following reports from the Negri Welfare Department of sexual abuse allegations involving students.
He said checks also showed students were only given thin mattresses to sleep on.
"Students at the school are believed to be from seven to 12 years old.
"When we arrived, some were performing prayers while others were busy with other activities," he said.
Ahmad Zaki said checks showed the madrasah was unregistered for activities related to religious education as required under state law.
He said the management had applied for registration in June last year but it was rejected as it had failed to comply with requirements.
"In April, a reminder was issued to the management asking them to comply with the rules and that they had until the end of the same month," he said.
He said the learning environment at the school was not conducive due to hygiene and safety issues.
Following this, the department ordered the school to close. Several teaching and learning items were also seized.
The children were handed over to the state Welfare Department for further action.
