ISKANDAR PUTERI, Nov 21 — Johor has extended the Friday rest period for the public and private sectors to two hours from Jan 1 next year, compared to one hour and 30 minutes now.

Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said the decision was made to enable Muslim employees to perform their Friday prayers comfortably when Johor’s weekend holidays change to Saturday and Sunday.

"Along with the changes, the working hours of state and federal government departments and agencies will be coordinated according to the implementation at the federal level,” he said when tabling the Johor Budget 2025 at the State Legislative Assembly in Kota Iskandar here today.

On Oct 7, the Regent of Johor Tunku Mahkota Ismail ordered the realignment of weekend holidays to Saturday and Sunday starting Jan 1, 2025, in Johor, with the approval of His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, and the views of the Johor Islamic Religious Department (JAINJ).

Tunku Mahkota Ismail also ordered that all private companies, the government, and related parties provide sufficient space and time for Muslim employees to perform their Friday prayers.

The weekend holiday reorganisation involves all Johor residents, especially 587,343 students and 1.948 million government and private sector employees.

In a related matter, Onn Hafiz said to ensure male Muslim students can perform their Friday prayers, the Johor State Education Department and JAINJ, together with the Johor Mufti Department, will increase the number of suraus, including halls in schools for the purpose.

Meanwhile, the Menteri Besar said the state government will continue to improve productivity and its service delivery system, including empowering digital services by adding online transactions.

He said critical counter-service operating hours will be extended, including during breaks, and counter-service operating hours will be standardised in all state, federal, and local government departments and agencies.

"If these improvement efforts go well and smooth, Insya-Allah, in the future, the state government with the approval of Tunku Mahkota Ismail and the blessing of His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, is ready to consider the proposal to change working hours to four and a half days without reducing the overall working hours for the public sector,” he said. — Bernama