State executive councillor Che Abdullah Mat Nawi put the idea forward in the hope that it will be taken up by cattle farmers in the rural state.

“We believe that (reading the Quran gives) peace of mind to people, so it might give peace of mind to animals and produce better meat,” said Che Abdullah, who oversees the agriculture portfolio in the state government.

“We believe the quality of the beef will be better if the animal is calm or in a relaxed situation.”

The official added there was no timetable for the plan and it was not something the government would roll out on its own. It was hoping local farmers would lead the way in implementing it, he said.

PAS has been pushing to introduce a tough Islamic criminal code, known as hudud, in Kelantan that includes penalties such as amputations for theft and stoning to death for adultery.

In 2015, the state assembly passed a law mandating hudud law but it has not been implemented as the Federal Constitution forbids it.

More than 60% of multi-ethnic Malaysia’s 32 million inhabitants are Muslim but a traditionally tolerant brand of Islam has been eroded in recent years as conservative attitudes gain ground.