KOTA BARU, Aug 23 — Kelantan Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (Maik) is not ready to open mosques to the public as the state has not achieved the herd immunity.

Its president, Tengku Tan Sri Mohamad Rizam Tengku Abdul Aziz said so far, mosques throughout the state are only opened only four mosque officials, including the imam and the bilal (muezzin).

Tengku Mohamad Rizam, who is also Tengku Temenggong Kelantan, said the matter was also in line with a decree by the Sultan of Kelantan, Sultan Muhammad V, to maintain the current  limit on the number of congregants for prayers in mosques.

"This step is also taken following the increase in the daily number of Covid-19 cases in Kelantan which still records four figures.

"If there is a drop in daily Covid-19 cases and the vaccination rate in Kelantan increase, we can open the mosque,” he told a media conference on expenses and monies received by Maik between January and June 2021 here today.

Also present were Maik deputy president Zulkifle Ab Rahman, Kelantan Mufti Datuk Mohamad Shukri Mohamad and State Health Department Director Datuk Dr Zaini Hussin.

Earlier, Tengku Mohamad Rizam handed over Maik Prihatin Assistance to district officers, as well as contributions worth RM10,000 to Dr Zaini to be handed over to vaccination centres (PPV) in Kelantan.

In another development, Tengku Mohamad Rizam said the online facility, such as e-PTG (monthly salary deduction for zakat payment) and e-Zakat Payment introduced by Maik received encouraging response.

"They have made easier for zakat payers to make zakat payment, with a collection of RM1 million in the first six months of this year,” he added.

He also said that Maik had spent a total of RM83,864,749 for the target groups and asnaf in the state during the first six months of this year. — Bernama