JOHOREANS have expressed mixed views to the state ruler’s decision to revert to the weekend off days of Saturdays and Sundays from Fridays and Saturdays beginning Jan 1, 2025 after a lapse of 10 years.
The reversion which had been subject to a study since June 2022 was made official by Johor Regent Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim following consent and blessing from His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia and after considering the views of the Johor Islamic Religious Council (JAINJ),
For the record, Tunku Ismail’s father, Sultan Ibrahim, in his capacity as the Johor ruler had consented to switch Johor’s weekend to Fridays and Saturdays effective Jan 1, 2014 as a mark of respect to Friday’s importance to Muslims and a nod of recognition to Islam as the state’s religion.
“I have decreed for the Johor Menterti Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi and Johor Mufti to discuss and study every angle and aspect regarding this matter,” Tunku Ismail pointed out on his Facebook page.
“I hope that the private sector, the government and related parties allow sufficient time and space for Muslim workers to perform Friday prayers accordingly.”
However, Johoreans seemed to be divided over the reversion given there is obviously pro and contra to the move dependent on whether one is employed by the public or private sector.
One commenter who is a private sector employee revealed that he could “go to government offices on Sundays without taking leave” while civil servants contended that they can “attend to their banking chores on Fridays without disrupting their work”.
Above all else, those with families can now look forward to spending quality time together.
Some commenters voiced concern over ample time allocation for Friday prayers with others allaying their concerns on grounds that “no issue has arisen with the private sector having operated Mondays to Fridays all these while”.
One netizen who is presumably a school teacher expressed hope that the weekend off days will rid “excuses of family matters as the reason for absenteeism in schools”.
At a glance, private sector employees with families tend to rejoice or benefit the most for they can “previously only see their children once a week (on Saturdays) due to different working/schooling days”.
To a commenter who favours the existing Fridays/Saturdays off-days on grounds that it is easier for her to run her banking errands, fellow netizens persuaded her to look at the bigger picture, the most obvious being spending valuable family tine while most banking errands can now be conducted online.
Whatever said and done, the bottom line is to choose what is economically viable to ensure the Johor economy continues to prosper. – Oct 7, 2024
