Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun has announced that all mosques and suraus in Malaysian state of Negri Sembilan will be allowed to receive worshipers for congregational prayers from this Friday (June 19).

After chairing the State Exco Meeting at Wisma Negri, he said, “I am happy to state that trial runs conducted at eight mosques to receive worshipers depending on the size of their prayer halls on two consecutive Fridays has been a success. So from this Friday, we will allow all the mosques and surau to reopen,” to media on Wednesday (June 17).

The trials at eight mosques were conducted by the Malaysia’s National Security Council to figure out the discipline of worshipers in adhering to the standard operating procedure (SOP) for Friday prayers amid COVID-19 pandemic.

Worshipers aged between 20 and 60 years with no underlying any health problem and who wish to perform Friday prayers in the mosques or suraus have to submit an online application for an “entry permit” to the state Islamic Affairs Department. They will be required to maintain social distance, their prayer spot will be assigned to them and they have to bring their own prayer mats in the mosques and suraus.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun also informed that non-Muslim places of worship in Negri Sembilan will be allowed to reopen from next week (subject to the necessary approvals from the relevant government agencies). However, the number of worshipers will be only one-third of the total capacity of the particular place of worship.

Before receiving worshipers, the committees of these places of worship will have to register and obtain approvals. For the present, only 3 churches in the state have been allowed to reopen.

In regards to COVID-19 cases in Malaysia, the country has reported 8,515 confirmed cases which are under treatment, 7,873 complete recoveries and 121 patients died by the virus, as of Wednesday (June 17).