It is up to the police to determine if the fire that razed Dewan Tunku Canselor (DTC) in Universiti Malaya last week was caused by arson or not, said Housing and Local Government Minister Ong Ka Ting today.

The minister said that the Fire and Rescue Department had completed its technical investigation into the blaze and would submit a report to him next Monday.

The investigation was conducted by a six-man special task force headed by Negeri Sembilan Fire and Rescue Department director Othman Abdullah.

The minister who was speaking to reporters after launching the Thai Fair 2001 at the Summit Mall in Subang said: "I have been informed that all technical aspects of the fire have been investigated by the department. But they alone, can't say anything in conclusion."

"It is for the police to conclude the whole thing," he said, adding that all the parties concerned are working closely together on this "serious matter".

The fire, which broke out at about 3.45am last Friday, destroyed most of the hall as well as 1,800 graduation robes and mortar boards. The damage was estimated to be more than RM12 million.

Some have alleged that it was an attempt to prevent Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad from attending a symposium at the university the next day.

However, asked to comment on this, Ong said that it was up to the police to conclude such matters and take the necessary action.

New lab

On a different matter, Ong told reporters that the country's Fire and Rescue Department will soon have its own testing lab to facilitate investigations and analysis.

"The lab will be ready in the next two or three months and will be able to handle very specialised investigations, said the minister.

"We have also sent our officers to Japan for training and we now have enough experts in the department," he added.