An NGO has received numerous complaints from 22 Muslim foreign workers claiming they are not allowed to perform Friday prayers by their employers.

Pertubuhan Kebajikan Global Keselamatan Manusia Malaysia president T Kamalanathan told Malaysiakini some of the workers from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, had allegedly been fired, and even hit, for demanding their right to pray.

"There have been misunderstandings (because of this issue). One of the workers had been slapped by his employer and others were scolded so severely that they decided to quit," Kamalanathan said.

Some of the workers were also told they cannot pray because their Muslim Malaysian colleagues were not given time off for Friday prayers either.

Complaints coming in for two years

Kamalanathan said complaints such as this have been coming in for almost two years.

He has filed reports with the Labour Department and the police on this, but claimed neither authority could investigate it on grounds that the matter was not within their jurisdiction.

He has now turned to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong for help.

Kamalanathan submitted a memorandum to the Agong today, asking His Majesty to intervene, so that all Muslim foreign workers can carry out their Friday prayers.

"I hope the Agong can take action so that the Muslim foreign workers are allowed to perform their Friday prayers every week," he said.

His memorandum, he added, also included his hope that the Labour Department is given the authority to investigate similar complaints in the future.