Malaysian officials have disguised as waiters in restaurants
to catch Muslims who are not participating in the Ramadan fast.
32 enforcement officers in the Malaysian district of Segamat
are dressing up as cooks and waiters to catch Muslims who choose to eat during
the holy month of Ramadan, the New Straits Times newspaper reported on
Thursday.
Tea-brewers and noodle chefs were selected from the ranks of
the department’s officers to carry out the task of being Ramadan Police. These
officials will be placed at 185 food premises where they will identify Muslims
who aren't fasting, snap a photo of them, and send it to the local religious
affairs department.
Segamat Municipal Council president Mohamad Masni Wakiman
told the New Straits Times: "We have specially selected enforcement
officers who are dark skinned for the undercover job,"
Dark skinned officials were chosen because their cover will
be more convincing since many restaurant staff are migrants workers.
Wakiman added: "They sound convincing when they speak
in Indonesian and Pakistani lingo, so that customers will believe they are
really hired to cook and serve meals and take menu orders."
If a Muslim is caught breaking the fast by one of the
officers, he or she might face a fine of up to $329 or up to six month
detention or both.
