KUALA LUMPUR: Tahfiz schools that fail to comply with fire safety recommendations within a certain time frame will be shut down, said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak (pic).

The Prime Minister said the issue of fire safety at tahfiz schools had become a "time bomb" following the recent incident at a school in Datuk Keramat Kuala Lumpur.

"The Cabinet on Wednesday met and instructed that the Fire and Rescue Department must investigate all tahfiz schools in Malaysia and submit a report.

"Those (the schools) which are not up to standard will be given a time frame to adhere, and if they still fail, they must close down because this involves our childrens' safety, which we cannot compromise on.

"This is a 'time bomb' which we cannot look upon lightly," Najib said in his speech at the national level Ma'al Hijrah celebration at the Federal Territories mosque here.

On another matter, Najib said that he was offended that the Opposition had claimed he did not bring up the issue of the Rohingya during his meeting with US President Donald Trump recently.

"I explained (to Trump) that this is a humanitarian tragedy which is catastrophic, which the world has no choice but to give attention to in order to stop any form violence against the people," he said.

At the event, former Sabah Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Dr Sakaran Dandai was named as the national Tokoh Ma’al Hijrah 2017 award recipient.