KUALA LUMPUR, May 10 — The religious department under the federal government will come up with standard operating procedures (SOP) to adhere to for devotees wishing to attend places of worship.

As the Covid-19 pandemic is still a real threat, prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said people need to be cautious as the risk of infection is still out there.

"As for solat Jumaat and praying at the mosque, the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) are in the midst of working on developing several SOPs to present to the Yang Di-Pertuan Agung and the Council of Kings,” said Muhyiddin today during his special address to the nation.

"I’m aware that many of you miss going to pray at the mosques especially for Friday prayers, terawih and daily prayers. God willing the situation will get better and we can return to normalcy.”

Muhyiddin, however, said that mosques in green zones should be able to operate as usual.

He said out of 1,178 zones, districts and precincts in Malaysia, 1,112 or 94.4 per cent of the areas are green zones. 

He said this was made possible thanks to the hard work and ethics of the frontliners and the people who had adhered to the movement control order and conditional movement control order (CMCO) that have been in place since March 18.

"With proper SOPs in place, I believe these mosques in the green zones can open to devotees.

"Please give the religious authorities a little bit of time to smoothen the SOPs and guidelines for everyone, including Christians, Buddhists, Sikhs and Hindus,” he added.

Putrajaya has extended the CMCO till June 9.