KAPAR: The management of a plastic manufacturing factory at the Sungai Kapar Industrial Park, which allegedly prohibited its Muslim staff from praying, has revised the timing of its one-hour rest period to accommodate prayer time.
An employee, who declined to be named, said the issue surfaced following a misunderstanding with the company’s top management which was said to be unfamiliar with the Muslim prayer times.
However, the issue was considered resolved after a Muslim employee met with the top management recently.
“This is not a big issue because we are allowed to perform our prayers. There were some employees who were found to have gone from missing from work on the pretext of going for prayers.
“Our break-time was previously from 12pm to 1pm. Now it has been changed from 1pm to 2pm,” the employee told Berita Harian.
The employee said the company’s top management would lodge a police report as a pre-emptive measure following claims that there would be a riot at the premises.
The July 30 memo, purportedly issued by Hond Tat Industries Sdn Bhd top management, was addressed to its staff and production workers.
The one-page document read: “The management would like to inform all employees (that they) are… not allowed to (pray) during working (hours), except (during) lunch time.
“With immediate effect, if found to be in violation of the order, a fine of RM500 shall be imposed for each offence.”