The national-level ‘1442H Maal Hijrah’ celebration this year will take place in a brief ceremony at the National Mosque on Aug 19, says Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs), Datuk Seri Dr Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri.

He said, the celebration would be held in the new normal, with a limited number of participants and according to the standard operating procedure (SOP) set by the authorities to curb the spread of COVID-19.

"For the celebration at the Federal Territories and national-level, it will be done in a very simple manner on the final evening of the Hijri calendar year 1441, and insya-Allah, it will be concluded after the Maghrib prayers, and at night, Solat Hajat will be held.

"The award ceremony (in conjunction with Maal Hijrah) will be held at the national-level at the National Mosque on that night, in a very limited capacity," he told reporters after officiating the roundtable conference for the task force on the enforcement of current religious issues on social media here today.

He hoped that the task force would be able to find solutions to several issues, including those related to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) group, insults to Islam, heresy and atheism.

"I hope an effective form of implementation can be finalised, not just to simply punish, but to solve the problems of Muslims towards living a more harmonious life," he said.

The one-day conference was attended by members appointed by the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Department, including representatives from the Malaysian Islamic Development Department, the Department of Syariah Judiciary Malaysia, the Federal Territories Mufti's Office and the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council. - BERNAMA