KUANTAN: Sultan of Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah Riayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah today decreed that his subjects pray for rain and hold Istisqa prayers (prayers for rain).
This is as the state is experiencing extreme hot weather due to the El Nino phenomenon.
The ruler described the effort as ensuring that there is no drought or floods, and the people must not give up on performing the prayers for everyone's well-being.
"Forest fires and drying up rivers are all within the power of Allah. We should pray for the rain and hold the Istisqa prayers. I pray daily.... all of us have to pray," he told reporters after visiting three families whose homes in Taman Pinggiran Putra, Tanjung Lumpur, were destroyed in a fire.
Also present was Tengku Mahkota Pahang, Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah.
Meanwhile, Al-Sultan Abdullah said it was wrong to blame the dry weather as the root cause of fire incidents as sometimes it is the result of human negligence.
"Avoid smoking (and throwing cigarette butts) and burning (anything) in dry areas. Pity the firemen who have to rush all over the place... they are not 'Supermen'. You have to keep in account the consequences in case a fire incident happens," he said.
On a separate matter. Al-Sultan Abdullah said it was high time for a fire station to be built in Tanjung Lumpur as every year fire incidents were reported in the vicinity, including the nearby Inderapura and Penor .
"There has been an increase in population over the years and many developments are being actively carried out. We hope that the government can look into providing a fire station," he said.