Aidilfitri prayers: Police disperse worshippers gathered outside National Mosque

CORONAVIRUS | Police today dispersed worshippers who had gathered at the National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur for Hari Raya Aidilfitri prayers.

According to Astro Awani, a group of Muslims was present outside the mosque earlier this morning, the start of Syawal month.

However, they were prevented by police at the start of the prayer and warned against gathering during the conditional movement control order (MCO).

The news portal stated apart from being told to disperse, no further action was taken.

The Federal Territories Islamic Religious Department (Jawi) had stated that only mosque officials and staff would be allowed to perform Friday prayers and congregational prayers in mosques, surau, and selected surau in Covid-19 green zones in the Federal Territories during the MCO conditional period.

Meanwhile, the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) stated only the National Mosque which is in the green zone will hold Friday prayers, congregational prayers, tarawih prayers and Aidilfitri prayers.

As part of further stringent Covid-19 preventive standard operating procedures (SOPs), congregations at Muslim and non-Muslims places of worship would be limited to a maximum of 30 people, depending on the size of the premise.

Health Ministry director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah had previously explained that permitting the public back into places of worship would be carried out in stages, with the first priority given to caretakers and staff of places of worship to perform prayers.

Easing of the SOP to allow further Malaysians and then foreigners to access houses of worship would further depend on the country’s compliance with the regulations and rate of infection. - Mkini