JOHOR BARU: Those dissatisfied with the weekend change due to personal or political agendas are welcome to relocate to states that still observe the Friday-Saturday weekend, says the Regent of Johor, Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim.
In a Facebook post today, Tunku Ismail, also the Johor crown prince, said that this decision reflected the wishes of Johoreans to spend more time with their families and children.
He said that the change aligned with major development projects aimed at boosting the state's economic prosperity.
"The return to a Saturday-Sunday weekend caters to the people's desire for family time and is expected to generate positive economic effects in line with ongoing development in Johor," he added.
The decision was made with the consent of His Majesty, Sultan Ibrahim, the King of Malaysia, and in consultation with the Johor Islamic Religious Council, the Johor government, and various agencies.
However, Tunku Ismail said that some states were maintaining their Friday-Saturday weekend arrangements, and those unhappy with Johor's shift are free to move to these areas.
On Oct 7, he announced that Johor would revert to Saturday-Sunday weekends starting Jan 1.
While some, including politicians, have expressed concerns about Friday being a holy day for Muslims, Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi assured that the state would preserve the sanctity of Fridays.
He said that adjustments to working hours on Fridays would ensure that Muslims would have sufficient time to fulfil their religious obligations.