Weekend change done for benefit of people and state, says Tunku Ismail
JOHOR BARU: Those who are upset or dissatisfied with Johor’s decision to change its weekend should consider moving to states that still observe Friday and Saturday as their days off, says Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim (pic).
The Johor Regent explained that the decision was made to allow families to spend more time together.
Tunku Ismail emphasised the positive economic impact of this change, which aligns with ongoing development projects aimed at benefiting the state and its residents.
With the consent of His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, and input from the Johor Islamic Religious Council, the state government and the public, Tunku Ismail said he decided that Johor will revert to Saturday and Sunday weekends starting Jan 1, 2025.
“If there are parties upset or dissatisfied due to personal agendas, want to provoke the people or have political motives, you are welcome to relocate to states that still have a Friday and Saturday weekend,” he said in a Facebook post yesterday.
States currently observing Friday and Saturday as weekends include Terengganu, Kelantan and Kedah.
Tunku Ismail’s announcement on Oct 7 comes a decade after Sultan Ibrahim changed Johor’s weekend to Friday and Saturday to honour the significance of Friday in Islam.
The Sultan of Johor noted then that this decision was a return to the state’s original weekend, which had been established before Malaysia’s independence.
The switch to Saturday and Sunday occurred in 1994 during Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s tenure as menteri besar.
In June 2022, Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi indicated that the state government would review weekend rest days after a comprehensive study.
Onn Hafiz also said in a statement that not all matters should become politicised, and each decision made is in the best interest of Johor and its people.
He said the supremacy of Islam will not diminish in the slightest despite the change, after receiving views from Johor mufti Datuk Yahya Ahmad and state Islamic religious affairs committee chairman Mohd Fared Mohd Khalid.
“God willing, the state government is confident this decision will benefit the people by providing quality family time and allowing them to plan weekend activities more easily, without undermining the importance of Friday prayers,” he said.
Onn Hafiz urged against speculation or politicisation of the decision that could disrupt the harmony in Johor.
