Starting from Jan. 1, 2014, Singapore’s neighbouring state Johor will consider Friday and Saturday, not Saturday and Sunday, the weekend.
The decision was announced by Johor’s Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, who revealed it was supported by the need to take advantage of Friday, which Muslims consider the most auspicious day of the week.
Muslim men around the world perform an obligatory mass prayer session, followed by a short sermon, on Friday afternoons.
Many companies in Singapore, including government institutions, allow Muslim men to go on a longer lunch break once a week so they may attend the sessions.
According to Channel NewsAsia, Singapore Business Federation’s (SBF) chief executive officer Ho Meng Kit said that the decision will mean that Singapore businesses in Johor and in the Iskandar Malaysia region are going to be less efficient as there are only four working days aligned. As a result, Johor will now be less attractive as an investment destination.
Photo: AFP
Source: Channel NewsAsia
