The role of local authorities in governing Muslim friendly sport facilities

Abstract

The needs of the Muslim tourist vary form one type to another, but all tourists need some form of tourism related activities. However they are very few Muslim friendly tourism activities which due to inadequate facilities and attractions that cause very little substances for travel agency to promote Muslim friendly tourism. Current situations indicates that they are no clear guidelines and regulations on how to manage an Islamic and sharia-compliance sport facilities for the local authority and private company to follow and control. In response to this scenario, this research is to provide a greater understanding of Muslim friendly sport facility concept by scrutinizing the sharia principles framework for sport alongside with fatwas that are already produced to guide Muslim in sport. Besides that, the study also collaborated with the selected local authority which is Nilai Municipal Council (Majlis Perbandaran Nilai) in developing the guidelines and procedure in governing and managing the concept of Muslim friendly sport facility that follow the sharia guidelines. The type of methods that used in this study is by adopting the qualitative method of research. Qualitative methods often refer to several types of research techniques which includes case studies, observation, and interviews. Furthermore, qualitative methods emphasizing on the understanding, interpretation, observations in natural setting and closeness to data with a sort of observer view. In this research, three methods used to collect data which are library research, focus group discussions and open ended interview. The research required the general overview of the current roles of local authority in managing sport facilities in Malaysia. The method also emphasizes the shariah rules that have to follow in order to claim the sport facilities as a Muslim friendly. Besides that the research also integrates the shariah principles, the laws and regulations of sport facilities management in order to develop the Muslim friendly sport facilities. The findings of the study imply that the Muslim Friendly sports facilities development has improved rapidly over the past years in Malaysia. However, such improvements are inadequate to the overall development of sports facilities for the Muslim friendly tourism. However, there are still on-going debates on how people will practice and behave when they are using the Muslim friendly sport facilities. This is because people are not free from committing bad behaviors and this might give a bad image to the branding or Muslim friendly sport facilities. Thus, the study of people perception and practices that comply when they are playing in the Muslim friendly sport facility is necessary for the future research.