RMCO: Sabah allows mosque, surau activities during Ramadan

KOTA KINABALU, April 1  -- The Sabah government is allowing mosque and surau activities during Ramadan under the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) in accordance with standard operating procedures (SOP) set, effective April 12.

Sabah Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun said mosques and surau in all zones in the state were allowed to perform obligatory prayers and Friday prayers according to their capacity, taking into account the physical distancing of one metre.

He said ‘Tarawih’ prayers were also allowed for eight ‘rakaat’ with the recitation of common ‘surah’ or short verses, and the number of worshippers must also be based on the capacity of the premises with a physical distancing of one metre.

“However, ‘tazkirah’ (religious talk) is not permitted during the Tarawih prayers. The breaking-of-fast and ‘sahur’ (pre-dawn) meals at the mosques and surau are also not allowed except for 12 committee members.

“’Moreh’ is allowed but only takeaways. Apart from that, the activities of ‘tadarus’ (reciting) and ‘khatam’ (completing recitation) Al-Quran, ‘Qiamullail’ (spending some part of the night, no matter how short, from after Isyak till dawn, to worship Allah) and ‘Iktikaf’ (staying in a mosque for a certain number of days to devote oneself to Allah) are only allowed to 12 mosque and surau committee members only,” he said in a statement tonight.

Elaborating further, Masidi, who is also the state government spokesperson for COVID-19, said the state religious department and agency programmes were allowed to be implemented in mosques and surau such as Amil zakat (tithe) counters and distribution of zakat assistance by complying with the existing SOPs.

All mosques and surau in Sabah must adhere to the guidelines and SOP set by the authorities in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the state, he said.

-- BERNAMA