PUTRAJAYA will decide within the next “two to three hours” whether Friday prayers at mosques need to be postponed in the wake of the rising number of Covid-19 cases.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri was quoted by newsportal Malaysiakini as saying the government is consulting with the Health Ministry on the matter.

If postponed, the Friday prayers are to be replaced with Zohor prayers at home.

Earlier today, Raja of Perlis Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Putra Jamalullail decreed that Friday prayers in the state today be replaced with Zohor prayers at home.

This comes after the Catholic Church in the peninsula yesterday said it is suspending masses for a fortnight from March 14 to 29.

Kuala Lumpur archbishop reverend Julian Leow said the move was in view of the Covid-19 outbreak in Malaysia, which has seen 158 infections and has been declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organisation.

The suspension of large gatherings applies to weekday and weekend public masses, all catechism classes and activities, and any other meeting normally held in churches, Leow said in a pastoral letter.

“We will continue to monitor and review the situation to determine if the above period of suspension needs to be extended beyond the March 29,” said the letter, signed by Leow, the Bishop of Penang rev Sebastian Francis and the Bishop of Malacca-Johor rev Bernard Paul. – March 13, 2020.