Brunei
Citizens of the Bornean kingdom return to pray at mosques after nearly two months, but with various safety steps in place.
BRunEIAnS returned to mosques for the first Friday prayers in over two months, while continuing to observe social distancing and other guidelines from its health ministry.
Congregants on Friday were seen wearing face masks as they lined up to have their BruHealth QR codes scanned and temperatures checked.
Members of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces and the Royal Brunei Police Force, along with volunteers as well as mosque takmir committee members were on standby to facilitate the flow of congregants at the entrance points.
At Jame’ ‘Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque in Kampung Kiarong, a smart helmet scanning device was used to check body temperatures from a distance.
Once inside the mosques, the congregants placed their prayer mats about one metre apart, in keeping with physical distancing measures.
One congregant said that the measures made him feel safer compared to being at shopping malls or the market place.
Meanwhile, members of Rashidah Sa’adatul Bolkiah Mosque takmir committee also welcomed hundreds of congregants for the Friday prayer, while implementing thorough preparations by ensuring that the standard operating procedures set by the ministry were followed.
Imams called on the Muslim community to be patient in complying with the directives issued by the ministry, to minimise the risk of a new wave of infections.
They also prayed for the well-being of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces. — Borneo Bulletin/Ann