No Booster, No Friday Prayers – Netizens Are Furious With Latest Restriction
Netizens and NGOs decry the unfair assumption that mosques are breeding grounds for the Covid-19 virus.
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Social media is abuzz with the anger of the netizens as Muslims are not allowed to perform Friday prayers at the mosque.
Many questioned the new law enforced by mosques in Selangor, to the point of preventing people from fulfilling their duties.
A number of viral videos are making the rounds in social media which showed worshipers praying outside the mosque compound.
They were seen spreading prayer rugs they fulfil their religious responsibility.
You’ll Answer For It In The Afterlife, Say Netizens
By and large, netizens are dissatisfied and even angry with the new restriction which started on 25 February.
Many accused the clergies of denigrating their religion by blocking Friday prayers in large numbers.
Netizens are also bewildered as to why other avenues have no such restrictions.
At the same time, netizens pointed out that everyone deserves the freedom to worship God.
Nak tanya kat JAIS, hari ni yang tak booster tak boleh masuk masjid sembahyang Jumaat. Yang bawah 18 tahun tak wajib booster kan? @Khairykj? Tapi masih dihalang masuk.. Apa jenis undang2 ni 😠😠😠😠😠😠😠😠
— Afizal Jaini (@AfizalJaini) February 25, 2022
Be Considerate, Say Muslim NGOs
President of Malaysian Consultative Council for Islamic Organisations (Mapim) Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid urged the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS) to reconsider the decision.
He said it is hardly surprising that netizens are outraged as Friday is a dedicated day of worship in Islam.
At the same time, the new rule creates an unfair assumption that mosques are breeding grounds for the Covid-19 virus.
Mosques have been unfairly targeted during the pandemic. The authorities must be fair and meticulous in implementing Covid-19 guidelines.
Mapim president Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid on the probihition of Friday prayer for those without booster shots.
Safety Precautions
The restriction is not without reason, as new daily cases in the country surged past 32,000 recently.
Active cases with probable infection stood at 294,430 based on COVIDNOW data from the Ministry of Health (MOH) as of 25 February, with cumulative fatalities soaring to 32,591 cases.
Selangor recorded the highest daily number with 7,458 cases, followed by Sabah (4,892), Johor (2,699), Kedah (2,579), Penang (2,575), Kuala Lumpur (2100), Negeri Sembilan (1,840), Kelantan (1,746), Pahang (1,647) and Perak (1,552).
With a cumulative figure of 3,337,227 cases, Malaysia is now ranked 26th in the list of 225 nations/territories struck by the Covid-19 pandemic.
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