The permission to hold Friday prayers during this Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) period has been expanded to surau and halls deemed suitable for the purpose.

In fact, Religious Affairs Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Dr Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri in a statement today said that mosques and Friday surau permitted to hold Friday prayers are also allowed to maximise the use of their areas while ensuring compliance with the latest standard operating procedures (SOP) set by the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the National Security Council (MKN).

He said all religious activities and lectures, as well as Dhuha prayers, Fardu Ain and Quran reading classes, may also resume starting this week.

“As such, the mosque and surau committees are to be held responsible for ensuring full compliance of the SOP,” he said.

Zulkifli said the committees were also advised not to lock the main gate of the surau and mosques to enable members of the public, especially travellers, food delivery riders or e-hailing drivers to perform the five daily prescribed prayers.

The minister said all decisions were made upon the consent of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah who had accepted the resolutions of the 7th Special Meeting of the National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs Malaysia (MKI) held on June 24.

He said as the Federal Constitution provides for matters concerning Islam under the jurisdiction of the states, the meeting also agreed to leave it to the religious authorities in the states to consider the implementation of the decisions.

-- BERNAMA