By Ida Nadirah Ibrahim
SHAH ALAM, April 13 — Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, has decreed that the suspension of Friday prayers in all mosques in Selangor to be extended until May 31.
A statement by the palace today, which was signed by the state Ruler’s private secretary Datuk Mohamad Munir Bani, said the directive was made in order to curb the spread of the Covid-19 outbreak and safeguard the wellbeing of the people.
“However, if the outbreak is contained at an earlier date, a new directive will then be issued,” the palace said in the statement.
“The Friday prayers should be replaced with Zuhur (afternoon) prayers at home and other prayers, including the Tarawih prayers during Ramadan, should also be done at home.”
His Royal Highness the Selangor Sultan had also advised the people to be proactive in combatting the coronavirus together by remaining at home, practise good hygiene and social distancing.
The state Ruler reminded the people to adhere to the rules in place to avoid the mass gathering of people, which can increase the risk of the Covid-19 transmission.
“Abide by the regulations and order of the government, and follow the guidelines by the Health Ministry,” the statement read.
The Selangor Sultan added that the people should not believe the fake coronavirus stories shared on social media platforms and to be more responsible by referring to verified news.
The directive was issued following a special meeting between the state Mufti’s office, Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais), and the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) on the latest development on Covid-19 in the state.
On March 17, the Selangor palace had suspended the Friday prayers until April 17, following the implementation of the movement control order (MCO), which begun on March 18.
The suspension also includes gatherings, talks and activities in all mosques, suraus and prayer venues.
