Muslim men are obliged to perform Friday prayers every week, and one Malaysian man was shocked to discover that his salary had been deducted for leaving work to perform his Friday prayers.
He first noticed the unexpected pay cut on his September payslip. With five Fridays in October, he now fears another round of deductions for fulfilling his religious obligations.
“If Friday prayer isn’t allowed, I’m leaving.”
In August this year, the Terengganu state government announced that Muslim men who intentionally skip Friday prayers may be fined RM3,000 or face up to two years in jail. The man, who works in Johor, said he had spoken to his company’s Human Resources Department and asked them to convey his concerns to the management.
“Please inform the boss to allow Friday prayers during break time. If not, I’ll resign.”
Last year, the Regent of Johor, Tunku Mahkota Ismail, instructed all employers in the state to comply with the directive to allow Muslim men sufficient time and space to perform Friday prayers.
The man, Saleh, shared his experience in a Threads post in September, which continues to circulate on social media. As of 14 October, Saleh revealed in a follow-up post that despite raising the issue, the HR department has yet to respond.
In a brief conversation with WORLD OF BUZZ, Saleh said that he had emailed the matter to the State Labor Department (JTK), but has yet to receive a response.
“I’ve called them multiple times too, but no one picked up the phone. HR also told me that if I work extra hours to replace the time, then it won’t be deducted.”
Saleh added that the deductions have significantly impacted his monthly expenses. The two Fridays deducted in September were equivalent to a full tank of petrol and a week’s worth of commuting from Kulai to Plentong.
“This month, with five Fridays, that’s almost three full tanks gone.”
Saleh did not disclose the exact amount of the deductions but mentioned that other Muslim employees at the company, including long-serving staff, are also affected.
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