BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

MOSQUE officers have been warned not to modify their working hours, whether at mosques or prayer halls in line with their duty to provide community services to congregants.

Ministry of Religious Affairs Permanent Secretary Hj Md Abdoh Dato Seri Setia Hj Abdul Salam sounded off the warning in a speech during the landscape competition for village mosques and prayer halls in Brunei-Muara District yesterday.

“Over the years, mosque officers have been trusted by the community because they are regarded as religious leaders,” he said. “Therefore, as mosque leaders they must be mindful not to throw away that respect and trust from the community. They must respond to the trust by providing exemplary services.”

The permanent secretary pointed out that working hours for mosque officers as listed in the Buku Panduan Kerja Pegawai Pegawai Masjid 1996 or 1996 work orders for mosque officials that must be adhered to.

Mosque officers are not excluded from the general regulations contained in the Public Service Commission (PSC) Act issued by the government.

Failure to comply would result in consequences which members of the public service should have been aware of, said Hj Md Abdoh. He also urged mosque officers to improve their performance to maintain the community’s trust.

Meanwhile, in an interview with The Brunei Times, Mosque Affairs Acting Director Ustaz Hj Abd Rajid Hj Md Salleh said that the work orders comprised levels of warnings and advice to mosque officers who failed to do their jobs.

“We do not take action against mosque officers arbitrarily. There are procedures that should be taken by the department of mosque affairs. We would call them up and advise them on the matters,” said Ustaz Hj Abd Rajid.

He also urged mosque officers to become more pro-active in taking care of their respective mosques.

“They are responsible to make the mosques as clean as possible, just like they take care of their homes,” Ustaz Hj Abd Rajid said.

He encouraged congregants to file complaints to the administration division at the Department of Mosque Affairs in cases of Imams who do not take their jobs as religious leaders seriously.

“But the complaints received are usually few; we receive about one complaint a month,” said the acting director.

The Brunei Times