KUALA LUMPUR: Jakel group managing director Datuk Seri Mohamed Faroz Mohamed Jakel has dismissed allegations that the fires at its Shah Alam outlet on Sunday and today were started in an attempt to make fraudulent insurance claims.
He said the claim, which has been circulating on social media, did not make sense as the Shah Alam branch of the textile company was the second most profitable among its outlets.
"In the current situation, with the year-end sales, the shop was full and business is thriving. We don't want to resort to any dirty work.
"Moreover, the (fire) insurance claim would not even match Jakel's sales volume, especially during festivities and the year end," he was quoted as saying in a Free Malaysia Today (FMT) report.
Faroz said making an insurance claim was not easy and time consuming.
"Insurance claims cannot be done in a month, not even six months. That's one thing. The other is the missed opportunity, people who want to do business can make a profit, now that Hari Raya is near.
"During Raya, how much are Jakel's sales? A few million ringgit? How much is the insurance coverage worth? It's illogical. It's illogical because Jakel is not a problematic company.
"Even more so, Jakel Shah Alam is the second most thriving outlet after Jakel Mall (in Kuala Lumpur)," he said.
After Sunday's fire, Faroz was reported to have said that Jakel could lose up to RM100 million. It was reported that the outlet could rake in RM300 million in sales a year.
Another fire broke out just past midnight today and was brought under control by about 3am.
Selangor Fire and Resuce Department investigators and sniffer dogs were seen today poring over the site to determine the cause of the blaze.