Three surau in Jempol ordered to close for breaching SOP

JEMPOL: Three surau here have been ordered to close for a week for breaching Covid-19 standard operating procedure (SOP).

The Jempol Islamic Affairs Unit ordered Surau Felda Raja Alias 1 and 4 and Surau Al-Irsyad in Ayer Hitam to close from Thursday (May 27) until June 2.

Jempol OCPD Supt Hoo Chang Hook said a police team assisted the Jempol Islamic Affairs Unit in the operation.

He said the surau were ordered to close as the number of individuals on the premises exceeded the number allowed.

Other violations included failure to put on face masks, carrying out activities other than prayers and failure to bring their own prayer mats.

On May 20, state Islamic Affairs Department director Datuk Mohd Zaidi Ramli said all mosques and surau in Negri Sembilan are closed to the public from May 21 till June 7.

He said only mosque officials and committee members would be allowed to perform prayers during the period, restricted to 12 people.

As for surau, only three people are allowed to enter to pray who are the imam, bilal and siak.

Mosques or surau found to be in violation of Covid-19 SOPs will be closed for at least seven days.