CHINESE traders in Terengganu are still confused whether the order to cease business operations for two hours on Friday during the Muslim prayer time applies to them.

While many understand the practice and willingly follow it out of respect for the Islamic community, which makes up 90% of the state’s population, the order is officially for Muslim-run businesses only.

Some businesses continue to operate but most Chinese business owners comply with the practice which dates back to the early 2000s.

The Chinese and other minorities make up less that 3% of the people in the east-coast state, a stronghold of Islamist party PAS.

A grocery store owner in Kuala Terengganu, who wished to be known as Lee, told The Malaysian Insight traders were confused because the instruction is not consistently enforced.

Lee said he has followed the order for the last six years even though he has been unsure whether he is obliged to obey.

“I’m actually okay with the two-hour closure. After all, I have Malay employees and my customers are also Malay. From that point of view, we really understand.

“It’s just that I’m not sure whether it is compulsory or not. All the shops here are closed during Friday prayers anyway,” he said.

If given a choice, he said he would prefer to stay open all day on Friday.

Terengganu Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Committee deputy chairman Gan Raymond said business owners should have the freedom of choice.

“It might not be suitable for those in the food and beverage sector or grocery stores to obey.”

Gan, who owns a shoe store, said in his case, he does not mind closing for two hours on Fridays.

“For a shoe store, it feels like there is no need to stay open during Friday prayers because 95% of my customers are Muslim anyway,” he said.

Closing during prayer even reduces his business costs, Gan said.

“If I stay open, I’ll have to pay overtime charges to employees. But like I said, it depends on the type of business.”

Traditional practice

Gan said the practice of closing business operations during Friday prayers has been ongoing since 2002, even before the policy was enforced by the state government.

In January, the Kemaman Municipal Council ordered all supermarkets in the district to cease operations from 12.30pm to 2.30pm on Fridays.

It also ordered all Muslim food premises to be closed from1pm to 2pm on those days.

After confusion arose, local government, housing, health and environment exco Alias Razak said the directive did not apply to non-Muslim traders.

Speaking to The Malaysian Insight later, he said Kemaman was late in enforcing the rule which had long been practised in other districts sinc 2015.

The order, enforced by the Barisan Nasional administration, was aimed at preventing Muslim youth from skipping Friday prayers.

The state government at the time said local authorities could impose a fine of RM1,000 on first-time offenders if they failed to close during this period.

Traders could also have their business licenses revoked if they failed to pay the fine.

Inappropriate policy

Terengganu MCA chief Toh Chin Yaw said the policy is inappropriate.

He said it did not respect the rights of non-Muslims and those who did not need to perform Friday prayers.

There is also no guarantee that the policy will encourage Muslims to perform their prayers, he added.

“If the reason for the policy is religious, it should be implemented through education or awareness programmes.

“But when the state government issues an order to close supermarkets and public places, it prevents people who do not need to perform this act of worship from conducting their activities,” Toh said.

The ban affects people who need to buy necessities during those hours, he added.

“It is not a good policy. Imagine if there are people who need to get necessities at that time but they can’t. After all, not everyone goes to the mosque.” – February 25, 2022.