PETALING JAYA: The Perak mufti has praised a bus company’s policy requiring male and female passengers to sit separately, saying it was in line with Islamic requirements prohibiting the free mixing of men and women.

Harussani Zakaria was commenting on the segregation policy across TransMalaya’s fleet of buses, saying it should be emulated by other bus operators.

He said it was “haram” and sinful for men and women who are not related to sit next to each other during the journey.

Harussani also blasted Muslims who opposed the policy as “ignorant”, saying they were guilty of challenging “God’s laws”.

“The non-Muslims will obviously disagree with any Islamic laws as they preach freedom,” he told FMT.

KRZ Management Sdn Bhd, which manages TransMalaya buses, has defended the policy which was enforced since last February, but said it was not motivated by religion.

Instead, it said the move was out of concern for female passengers during long-distance trips.

“This is for both Muslims and non-Muslims. We simply want to avoid any untoward incidents,” its owner Noorlini Ramli told Malay Mail Online.

The move earned the ire of lawyer Siti Kasim, who said the operators were playing the role of moral police.

“I for one will never use this company. If I want to be seated (next) to a man or woman, it is my choice. Who are they to play the moral police?” the vocal activist wrote on her Facebook.