Mohd Fared Mohd Khaled (second from left) checking on shops during the operation.
JOHOR BARU: A total of 85 notices to appear have been issued by the Johor Islamic Religious Department to Muslims who were found openly eating, drinking or smoking during the fasting month.
State Islamic religious affairs committee chairman Mohd Fared Mohd Khaled said four notices were also issued to those found to have sold drinks, food or cigarettes to Muslims during the fasting period.
"An operation dubbed 'Ops Kesan' was conducted under Section 15 of the Syariah Criminal Law Enactment 1997 on those who disrespect the month of Ramadan.
"This includes Muslims who eat, drink or smoke openly as well as individuals who sell food, drinks, cigarettes and such to Muslims," he said after joining the operation here on Monday (April 10).
He said the operation was held between 11am and 2pm at the Taman Suria Ramadan bazaar, Larkin industrial area, Uda Business Centre and Johor Baru city.
Those who received notices to appear were required to present themselves at the department within the stipulated period for further action to be determined.
"Similar operations are also being conducted statewide involving 97 enforcement officers from the department. (Regular) operations have also been conducted since the first day of Ramadan.
"If found guilty under Section 15 of the Enactment, offenders could face fines of up to RM1,000 or a maximum six months' imprisonment or both for the first offence.
"For a second offence, they could face fines of up to RM2,000 or a maximum one year imprisonment or both," he said.
He added that apart from Ops Kesan, the department also conducted Ops Kutip on those collecting "khairat" (benevolent funds) without permission from the department.
"These are the common things we see at restaurants and shops where there will be people asking for donations for khairat, madrasah, tahfiz schools, orphanages, or for building mosques.
"Under Section 106 of the Islamic Administration Enactment (Johor) 2003, any individual or organisation wishing to make such a collection must get permission from the state Islamic Religious Department.
"In the operation today, we issued 12 notices for the offence. If convicted, they could face fines of up to RM3,000 or a maximum two years imprisonment or both," he said.
