Overview

• State officials announced Monday that Muslim men who skip Friday prayers without a valid reason could face up to two years in prison, a fine of up to RM3,000, or both.
• Authorities said enforcement will include mosque banners reminding worshippers, public reporting channels and patrols with the Islamic affairs department.
• The policy marks a shift from earlier practice in which penalties typically applied after three consecutive missed Fridays.
• Terengganu is governed solely by the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party, which holds all 32 assembly seats and has pursued stricter religious regulation in its stronghold.
• The move drew online and rights-based criticism and lands in a dual legal system context after Malaysia’s Federal Court struck down multiple state Shariah provisions in 2024.