KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 30 — The 2022 New Year celebrations have been cancelled and will be replaced with "solat sunat hajat” and "doa selamat” as a sign of respect and sympathy for flood victims in several states in Malaysia.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said he had instructed the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs), Idris Ahmad, Malaysia Islamic Development Department and Yayasan Dakwah Islamiah Malaysia to organise "solat hajat” and "Malaysia Berzikir Ambang 2022”, tomorrow at Putra Mosque, Putrajaya.

"With this, I am inviting the Malaysian Family to hold congregational Maghrib prayers, solat hajat and doa selamat at Putra Mosque, Putrajaya tomorrow night.

"Those who could not attend could follow the live telecast by Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) and TV Al-Hijrah,” he said in a Facebook posting today.

The posting was also attached with a poster of the event starting at 7pm tomorrow night.

In this regard, the prime minister called on mosques all over the country especially state mosques to organise similar functions for prayers.

Meanwhile, non-Muslim members of the Malaysian Family could also hold prayers according to their respective religions, he said.           

He hoped all efforts would be made to receive blessings for Malaysia next year. — Bernama