The state has allowed several surau to perform Friday prayers, said Sabah Special Tasks Minister Datuk Arifin Mohd Arif. - NSTP/AIZUDDIN SAAD
The state has allowed several surau to perform Friday prayers, said Sabah Special Tasks Minister Datuk Arifin Mohd Arif. - NSTP/AIZUDDIN SAAD

KOTA KINABALU: The state has allowed several surau to perform Friday prayers, said Sabah Special Tasks Minister Datuk Arifin Mohd Arif.

He said permission was given following applications submitted to the Sabah Islamic Religious Affairs Department (Jheains).

"As for the announcement by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, we welcome the recommendation to allow prayers at mosques for those who have completed their two-dose vaccine.

"We also submitted applications to the Sabah Covid-19 Disaster Committee for more relaxations in terms of the number of congregants at mosques and surau," he said.

Mohd Arifin was quoted in a statement after the state-level thanksgiving ceremony in conjunction with Maal Hijrah celebration at the state mosque here yesterday.

Present were Sabah Legislative speaker Datuk Kadzim M. Yahya, state Community Development and People's Wellbeing minister Shahelmey Yahya, state Federal Secretary Datuk Dr Zulkapli Mohamed and assistant ministers.

The ceremony began with the recitation of prayers led by the Deputy State Mufti Sahibul Fadhilah Dr Mohammad Ali Abdullah.

It was followed by the Maghrib prayer led by the Chief Imam of the State Mosque, Suhaidi Kuanting, who also led the recitation of Surah Yasin and a brief tahlil after the prayers.