KOTA KINABALU, Oct 14 — The Sabah government has decided to allow Friday and obligatory prayers with a congregation of 50 per cent capacity of the mosque or surau, starting tomorrow.

Sabah Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun said the decision made at the State Disaster Management Committee meeting on mosque and surau activities yesterday, also stipulated compliance with standard operating procedures (SOP) including one-metre social distancing.

"Fully vaccinated individuals are given priority,” said Masidi, who is also the spokesperson for the development of Covid-19 Sabah, in a statement tonight.

Masidi said mosque and surau activities such as maghrib lectures, dhuha lectures, religious classes and the like are also allowed according to the capacities set, while marriage ceremonies are allowed to be held in halls or designated spaces of the mosque.

"Funeral management and grave visits are also allowed with not more than 30 people. Muslims are also advised to fully comply with the SOPs set by the National Security Council and the state authorities from time to time to break the chain of infection of the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.

Meanwhile, Masidi said a total of 691 new cases were recorded in Sabah today taking the cumulative total to 208,197 cases, with a total of 15 deaths reported.

A total of 656 patients recovered and were allowed to leave the hospital as well as the Quarantine and Low Risk Treatment Centre (PKRC) bringing the cumulative total recoveries to 195,674 people, while 2,389 patients were still undergoing treatment, he said. — Bernama