Kuala Lumpur: Family reunion dinners on Chinese New Year’s Eve (Feb 11) will be allowed with up to 15 immediate family members living within a 10-kilometre radius without crossing districts and states, according to the Ministry of National Unity (KPN).
Its Minister Datuk Halimah Mohamed Sadique
(pic) said this is part of the revised standard operating procedure (SOP) for Chinese New Year following the National Security Council (NSC) technical meeting chaired by Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob on Sunday.
The meeting also agreed that religious activities in temples were allowed on Feb 11, 12, and 19, 2021, subject to strict SOPs.
These include not having more than 30 people present at a time with physical distancing observed, while the duration of the prayer will be 30 minutes, with another 30 minutes set for sanitisation works between the sessions.
Prayers at the temples can be held from 6am to 2pm only, while the night prayer activity for the “Hokkien Clan” on Feb 19, 2021, will be allowed to be held within the compounds of their respective homes.
Halimah said unity officers who had been appointed as monitoring officers under Section 3 of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342) would be monitoring compliance with the prescribed SOP.
She also urged the Chinese community in Malaysia to celebrate this year’s festival under the new norms, maintain personal hygiene and observe physical distancing to help efforts in breaking the Covid-19 chain of infection.
On Thursday (Feb 4), the Government had announced that only those living under the same roof could be present for the reunion dinner and prayers.
This caused an uproar within the Chinese community, especially among those whose family members live nearby.
Additionally, prayers at temples are not allowed except for five of the temple’s committee members while lion dances, lantern processions, Chingay and other stage performances are prohibited, as is cross-border travel.
Ismail Sabri subsequently said he was puzzled by the criticism over the SOP, and claimed discussions were held with several religious and cultural bodies.
However, groups which attended the meetings said they were not told of the eventual decision and were there only to give their views.
They had said that they were caught off-guard with the SOP that was announced.
