JOHOR’S Segamat Municipal Council (MPS) has denied reports that its enforcement officers will spy on non-fasting Muslims this Ramadan.

It said on Facebook this afternoon that it never made the statements quoted by the Malay Mail and Harian Metro on the matter.

“MPS has never conducted undercover operations to spy on or to catch Muslims who are not fasting during Ramadan. This is beyond the jurisdiction of the council.

“There is also no business hour restrictions imposed on businesses during the fasting month,” the statement issued by the council president read.

Several dailies had reported that MPS had tasked its enforcement personnel with playing undercover cooks and waiters at food outlets to catch non-fasting Muslims.

MPS president Mohd Masni Wakiman was quoted in the New Straits Times as saying that the council was working with the Segamat Islamic Religious Department to track down non-fasting Muslims, especially at stalls under MPS’ supervision.

The English daily quoted him as saying MPS had 32 enforcement officers, including two who are good at making roti canai, tea and mee goreng mamak, who would disguise themselves as cooks and waiters to catch Muslims eating at 185 food stalls.

“We have specially selected enforcement officers who are dark-skinned for the undercover job.

“They sound convincing when they speak Indonesian and Pakistani lingo, so the customers will believe they are really hired to cook, serve meals and take orders,” he told NST.

The news, picked up by other news outlets, have met with public backlash, especially on social media. – May 23, 2019.