JOHOR BARU: The Johor state government's decision to reinstate Friday as a working day starting next year will not interfere with the observance of Friday prayers.
State Islamic Affairs Committee chairman Mohd Fared Mohd Khalid said the state government was committed to ensuring that Muslims in both public and private sectors, as well as students, could perform their obligatory Friday prayers without hindrance.
"Under the new weekend structure, both sectors are required to grant Muslim employees time off for Friday prayers, in line with guidelines set by the Peninsular Malaysia Labour Department under the Human Resources Ministry," he said in a statement today.
These guidelines mandate that Muslim workers receive designated time off to fulfil their religious obligations.
Additionally, Johor's state schools, including national and religious institutions, will adjust their schedules to allow parents to manage their children's school routines while accommodating time for Friday prayers.
The changes aim to strike a balance between educational commitments and religious practices.
Furthermore, the Johor Islamic Religious Department's enforcement division will continue to monitor compliance with Friday prayer obligations, upholding Section 14 of the Johor Syariah Criminal Offences Enactment 1997, which addresses the failure to perform obligatory prayers.
The Johor government has stressed that the transition will be carefully managed to respect religious practices while supporting economic and social needs.
The Regent of Johor, Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, announced that the state would revert to a weekend of Saturday and Sunday off days starting Jan 1.