Johor Officers Go Undercover As Food Stall Cooks And Waiters To Catch Non-Fasting Muslims
Once an order is made by someone who appears to be Muslim, the enforcement officer will secretly take a photograph.
In an effort to catch non-fasting Muslims eat out in the open during Ramadan, Segamat Municipal Council (MPS) officers are disguising themselves as cooks and waiters at food stalls
MPS president Mohd Masni Wakiman told New Straits Times that the council in Johor is working with the Segamat Islamic Religious Department.
32 enforcement officers, including two officers who are good at making roti canai and mee goreng mamak, are working undercover at 185 food stalls under MPS.
Among the locations are Segamat, Bandar Putra IOI, Segamat Baru, Jalan Segamat Muar, Taman Yayasan, Buloh Kasap, Jementah, Batu Anam, and Bandar Utama.
For the undercover job, MPS has purposely selected "dark-skinned" enforcement officers who "sound convincing when they speak the Indonesian and Pakistani lingo"
"This is so the customers will believe they are really hired to cook, serve meals, and take orders," Masni said.
Once an order is made by someone who appears to be Muslim, the enforcement officer will secretly take a photograph of the person.
The officer will then alert the Segamat Islamic Religious Council for them to take appropriate action.
"The MPS does not want to be seen as not making an effort to handle the issue of Muslims eating in the open during Ramadan," the MPS President said
"It is not only disrespectful for Islam, but also reflects badly on MPS as the act is committed at stalls under its supervision," he said.
"The action of this small number of Muslims is shameful and gives the wrong impression of Islam in the eyes of those from other faiths," Segamat kadi Baharin Jalal told New Straits Times.
According to Section 15 of the state's Shariah Criminal Offences Enactment 1997, those who sell food to fasting Muslims or Muslims who skip from fasting can be penalised with a fine not more than RM1,000, imprisoned not more than six months, or both, for their first offence.