Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin today refused comment on Johor's decision to change its Saturday-Sunday weekend to Friday and Saturday.

NONE Muhyiddin ( right ), as menteri besar of Johor in 1994, changed the weekend in Johor to Saturday and Sunday to suit businesses.

However, this decision was overturned by the Sultan of Johor last week and the Friday-Saturday weekend will take effect from Jan 1 next year.

Muhyiddin was asked to comment on the matter during a press conference in Petaling Jaya this afternoon, but his only reply was: "I don't want to comment on this."

The decision to revert to the pre-1994 system was made by Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar in his birthday message last Saturday.

The sultan decreed that the move was necessary in order for Muslims to fulfil their religious obligations on Friday.

Boon or bane?

Some observers see the change as dealing a political blow to Muhyiddin, who was menteri besar of Johor from 1986 to 1995, while business owners believe that the move will hurt the economy of the third most industralised state in Malaysia.

However, there are some who believe that having the weekend on Friday and Saturday - similar to Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu - is a good thing.

Johor PAS deputy chief Mazlan Aliman had said the change instituted by the Muhyiddin administration in 1994 had left a black mark in Johor's history.

"The change in the days for weekends had made Muslims in Johor angry. It was even not explained through Friday sermons in the mosques in Johor.

"There have been a lot of protests from all levels of society regarding this, regardless of their political affiliations," Mazlan is quoted as saying by PAS' organ Harakah .