Semarak Subuh Programme In Johor Revitalises Mosques, Deepens Community Spirit

JOHOR BAHRU, June 11 (Bernama) – The Semarak Subuh programme, which has been carried out consistently across Johor, has been credited with boosting congregational participation at mosques and surau, while also strengthening ties between community leaders, mosque institutions and residents.

Masjid Jamek As-Syakirin chairman, Abdul Aziz Madi, 72, said the state government's sustained support for the programme had helped cement the mosque's role as both a place of worship and a focal point for community unity.

“Since the programme was rolled out more widely, attendance has increased significantly. In the past, most worshippers were older people, but we are now seeing more young people and families joining the congregation.

“Initiatives like this help bring the community closer to the mosque and, at the same time, strengthen social bonds among residents,” he said when met at the mosque here on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the imam and treasurer of Masjid Jamek As-Syakirin, Yusof Mahamad, 44, said the programme had boosted attendance, with congregations now large enough to fill two prayer rows on working days.

“Where we once struggled to fill a single row with 20 to 30 worshippers, weekday attendance now consistently reaches more than 80 people,” he said, adding that the growing turnout demonstrated increasing public commitment to mosque activities, with the programme helping to attract wider community participation.

He said the programme had also delivered tangible benefits to the local community through welfare initiatives, including the distribution of 100 food baskets and 100 five-kilogramme packs of rice to those in need at today’s event.

Introduced under the leadership of Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi, the Semarak Subuh programme is a state initiative that unites government and district leaders with local communities through Subuh (dawn) congregational prayer held at mosques and surau across Johor.

Each session begins with congregational Subuh prayer, followed by Quran recitations, including the opening and closing 10 verses of Surah Al-Kahfi or selawat (invoking blessings upon the Prophet Muhammad and his family), before a tazkirah (a brief religious talk that serves as a reminder) is delivered.

Meanwhile, Surau Ittihad Mariam chairman Rahim Ahmad, 73, said the programme had helped bring the state administration closer to people at the grassroots level.

He said holding programmes at residential surau allowed local communities to participate in religious activities while engaging more closely with leaders and government agencies.

“When leaders and the public can meet and interact in a relaxed setting after congregational prayers, relations become closer and more cordial,” he said.

The Semarak Subuh programme, now in its third year of implementation, will be expanded under the Johor Budget 2026, with activities held three times a week instead of two.

Under the First Thrust of the Johor Budget 2026, namely Government Governance, the state government has allocated RM2.92 million to ensure the programme’s continued implementation throughout the year.

-- BERNAMA