Deputy principal of the school, Mohammad Azhari Mahmod, told Sin Chew Daily the group of youngsters and the students had tussled over the futsal court after the school moved there early this year.
“The youngsters prevented the students from using the court. In the end, our teachers resolved the problem by working out a compromise to enable the students to play there.”
Yesterday, Kuala Lumpur police chief Amar Singh Ishar Singh announced the arrests of seven school dropouts, aged 11 to 18, on suspicion of causing the deadly blaze. Six of them tested positive for ganja while two others had records for serious crimes.
He said all the suspects confessed to setting the fire in retaliation over an exchange of insults between them and residents of the school hostel several days earlier.
Azhari said he remembered the squabble over the futsal court, after the blaze and thought it might have a connection with the tragedy.
He said there were other incidents that pointed to bad blood between the youngsters and the students, including the burning of firecrackers behind the school during Ramadan.
Some of the youngsters also threw firecrackers into the school’s compound despite being advised against doing so, he added.
“They burned firecrackers during prayer times and I advised them to stop doing it but they refused to listen.”
He said he did not know whether there were other similar incidents because he left to perform the Haj on Aug 7 and only returned after the fire.
A teacher of the school, Ridzuan, interviewed by Sin Chew Daily, said the students were allowed to play at the futsal court from 6pm every Monday and Wednesday.
He said four or five teachers would accompany the students at the court while they played for about 40 minutes.
“The students study and take part in activities mostly within the school, and one of the few times they meet outsiders is during their futsal games.”
He said there were no disciplinary problems among the students and he had never heard of any problems when they carried out activities outside the school.
The school’s principal, Mohd Zahid Mahmood, said he had not heard of any quarrel or disturbing incidents between the students and youths outside but added, “It is normal if there is a misunderstanding among young boys when they play.”
Meanwhile, China Press reported that the seven suspects detained by the police started actively peddling drugs about a month ago.
The report said the youngsters used the drugs themselves besides selling it to other youths.
A 16-year-old was believed to be the leader of their group.
China Press claimed police investigations showed the group’s leader received his supply of drugs from a trafficker in a shopping centre near his home.
The newspaper, quoting a source, said that besides the squabble over the futsal court, the suspects were also furious with the students for calling them drug addicts and human garbage.