Using the prayer hall because there is no other available space in the mosque area, according to Ahmad Amzad, is an unacceptable reason. (Photo courtesy of The Edge/Sam Fong)
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KUALA TERENGGANU, Malaysia (June 28) – According to Deputy Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Ahmad Amzad Hashim, the prayer hall at the mosque cannot be converted into a Covid-19 vaccine dispensing place.
He stated that any mosque that want to open a vaccination center (PPV) should follow the National Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force’s standard operating procedures (SOPs) (CITF).
“Among other things, the SOPs prohibit the use of a mosque’s prayer hall as a vaccine distributing area.”
A mosque can only operate a PPV if it possesses the necessary facilities, such as a lecture hall, library, or even its own clinic.
“If it doesn’t,” he stated in a statement today, “it shouldn’t be permitted to operate as a PPV.”
The issue of the mosque PPV arose because several states initiated their own vaccine outreach program in mosques without referring to the CITF’s SOPs, according to Ahmad Amzad, a Kuala Terengganu Member of Parliament.
“Photos of mosque prayer halls being used as vaccination areas have been extensively disseminated. There were also images of other parts of mosques being used as a waiting area with chairs.
“I’ve contacted the state health councillors and requested that they take the appropriate steps to avoid a poor public image of this great attempt,” he said.
Using the prayer hall because there is no other available space in the mosque area, according to Ahmad Amzad, is an unacceptable reason.
“We don’t want that all mosques be converted into PPVs. We have a lot of different facilities that might be used for that, such community halls and health clinics,” he added, adding that instructions had been made to guarantee that similar incidents did not happen again.
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