Highway Rest Areas as a Muslim- Friendly Touchpoint
September-October. 2025
MFAR: Rest and Recuperation Areas 23
Highway Rest Areas as a Muslim- Friendly Touchpoint
A case study from PROLINTAS Group of Companies
Food court at Elmina RSA.
Prayer room at Elmina RSA. Parking facilities at Elmina RSA.
One of the sectors that the Islamic Tourism Centre( ITC) is currently exploring for the expansion of its Muslim-Friendly Tourism and Hospitality Assurance and Recognition( MFAR) programme is Rest and Recuperation Areas.
While many rest areas in Malaysia already provide Muslim-friendly amenities, given the country ' s predominantly Muslim demographic, ITC seeks to develop a more structured recognition framework to ensure consistency, quality, and confidence for both domestic and international travellers.
As part of this effort to gather industry insights, ITC collaborated with the PROLINTAS Group of Companies, a leading highway concessionaire, to gain a deeper understanding of current provisions, operational challenges, and opportunities for enhancing Muslimfriendly services across its network of highways.
Through its subsidiaries, PRO- LINTAS is responsible for designing, constructing, operating, and maintaining key expressways serving millions of users annually. These include:
• Ampang-Kuala Lumpur Elevated Highway( AKLEH)
• Guthrie Corridor Expressway( GCE)
• Kemuning – Shah Alam Highway( LKSA)
• Kajang Dispersal Link Expressway( Kajang SILK)
• Damansara-Shah Alam Elevated Expressway( DASH)
• Sungai Besi-Ulu Kelang Elevated Expressway( SUKE)
Azmee Nin.
TAS is responsible for designing, constructing, operating, and maintaining key expressway
COMMITMENT TO MUSLIM- FRIENDLY FACILITIES
According to Azmee Nin, General Manager of Highway Operations, PROLINTAS has long prioritised the provision of Muslim-friendly facilities. He noted:
• Current amenities, including food courts, restrooms, prayer rooms, and kiosks at PROLINTAS ' s Rest and Service Areas( RSAs), already meet basic Muslim-friendly requirements.
• Approximately 99 per cent of food options at RSAs are halal, supplied by both Bumiputra and non-Bumiputra operators.
• RSAs are staffed around the clock to maintain washroom cleanliness, with prayer mats and telekung washed every three days.
EMPHASIS ON CLEANLINESS, COMFORT AND SAFETY
PROLINTAS places strong emphasis on maintaining high standards of hygiene and safety:
• Highway patrols conduct routine checks of RSAs and lay-bys to ensure facilities are clean and functional.
• The Elmina RSA( GCE) has received multiple recognitions:
1. First Runner-up( Category C) in the 2022 Pertandingan Anugerah Medan Selera Bersih, Selamat & Sihat Negeri Selangor by the Selangor Health Department.
2. 5-star rating for public toilets at both Northbound and Southbound RSAs( 2023), awarded by Shah Alam City Council ' s Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Department.
• Highways are equipped with safety guards and well-maintained lighting to ensure a secure environment for all users.
SUPPORTING ITC’ S RECOGNITION PROGRAMME
Azmee highlighted PROLIN- TAS’ s support for ITC’ s MFAR initiative, stating that:
• Recognition would motivate concessionaires to uphold and maintain high standards of service.
• Extending recognition beyond hotels to highways and road facilities strengthens Malaysia ' s Muslim-friendly positioning.
• Benefits include improved promotion of highways as safe, clean, and Muslim-friendly, catering to both local and international travellers.
He further noted that collaboration with ITC would help highway operators gain access to valuable data on tourist numbers and demands, enabling them to better meet expectations and expand offerings. – RnR