TERENGGANU DUN | The Terengganu government will begin implementing syariah-compliant clothing for state athletes from next year.

State exco Wan Sukairi Wan Abdullah said the move was in line with the Terengganu government's policy of placing Islam as the main pillar of the administration, including for sports.

Wan Sukairi said that for a start, all Muslim football players under the Terengganu Football Association were required to wear syariah-compliant attire during any tournament, whether inside and outside the state, from next season.

"We have appointed the state mufti Zulkifly Muda as a member of the board of directors of the Terengganu State Sports Council to provide advice and guidance on all aspects of the implementation," he said.

However, there is no enforcement time-frame for the regulation because it depends on the level of readiness of the athletes, Wan Sukairi told reporters outside the Terengganu Legislative Assembly today.

Earlier in the question-and-answer session, he replied to a question from Hishamuddin Abd Karim (PAS-Tepoh), who wanted to know the state government's commitment to implementing the syariah-compliant attire policy among athletes.

"For non-Muslim athletes there is no compulsion, and it is up to them to wear (the clothing) at their convenience, but we encourage them to follow the policy.

"In addition, only Terengganu athletes will be subjected to this rule. For athletes from outside who come to Terengganu they can dress according to their rules," he said.

- Bernama