KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 1 — The Human Resource Ministry is in the final stage of publishing guidelines on prayer time for Muslim employees during working hours.

Its minister, M. Kulasegaran said the guidelines aimed to enlighten employers on the time during which Muslims had to perform their prayer during working hours, such as the Friday prayer.

"Employers have to give time for their Muslim employees to perform their prayer, failing which, the employees can lodge a report with the ministry and strict action will be taken,” he said when winding up the debate on behalf of his ministry on the motion of thanks for the speech by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong at the Dewan Rakyat today.

He was responding to a question by Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff (PAS-Rantau Panjang) on employers who did not allow Muslim workers to perform their prayers so as not to affect productivity. — Bernama