Catholic Bishop Emeritus Dr Paul Tan Chee Ing said the ruling of the Kelantan state government that all shops, including non-Muslim-owned ones, must close during maghrib prayers is “confirmation if at all that is needed” that Muslim strictures will eventually be imposed on non-Muslims in Malaysia.

“All this while, we have heard with great scepticism assurances by proponents of Islamic ordinances that these won’t be imposed on non-Muslims,” said the former head of the Catholic Church in the Malacca-Johor diocese.

“It's not that we needed this instance of a ruling by the Kelantan state government requiring not only Muslim-owned but also non-Muslim owned shops to be shuttered during maghrib prayers to convince us non-Muslims that the assurances won't be upheld,” he added...