KUALA LUMPUR: Having been closed during the Movement Control Order (MCO) to help break the Covid-19 chain, mosques and Suraus may soon open their doors.
However, this is subject to the government's directives and approval from the Health Ministry (MoH) and the National Security Council (MKN).
According to a statement issued by the office of Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs), Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri, the guidelines had been prepared for religious activities at mosques and suraus during the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) which begins today.
The guidelines which were prepared by the Unit Penyelidikan Ilmiah (scientific research unit), the minister's office and research department and the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) were tabled in the Muzakarah (discussion) Committee of the National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs (MKI) special meeting on April 30.
The meeting was chaired by Muzakarah committee chairman Datuk Wan Zahidi Wan Teh.
The statement said the guidelines had yet to be implemented during the CMCO as any form of religious activities or gathering was still prohibited by the government during the period.
This, it said, was in line with the government's current decision upon consideration of MoH and MKN's views as announced by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
It also said that the government had received advice and views from the Ahabus Samahah muftis through the Muzakarah committee special meeting which had been held four times since the MCO was first enforced.
It said the possibility of the places of worshop being opened soon depended on the government's satisfaction of the guidelines as well as the cooperation and consciousness among the public throughout the CMCO period.
Consideration and advise from MoH and MKN was also needed on the move, the statement said.
"The main consideration by the government is on the readiness and technical preparations at an optimum level by the State Islamic Religious Councils, State Islamic Religious Departments as the authorities in the administration of religious affairs as well as preparations at the mosques and suraus being are at its best," the statement said.