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PUTRAJAYA: There will be no “balik kampung” trips for those in areas of improved and conditional motion control (MCO) orders to celebrate Deepavali this year, says Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
The Chief Minister (Security) said that those celebrating the festival in MCO’s recovery and conditional areas can attend special prayers, but only on the first day of the celebration, with a strict standard operating procedure (SOP).
He said that the SOP was agreed upon by Hindu religious leaders during their meeting with the Minister of National Unity recently.
Among the SOPs for temple activities are prayers that will take place from 7 am to noon in five sessions, with 30 minutes in between for the disinfection process.
“We have also asked the temples to prepare counters for registration and temperature controls and to identify those with symptoms of Covid-19.
“Each prayer session is limited to 30 people and less if the temple is small,” he said on Thursday (November 5).
Older people, people with chronic illnesses, and children under the age of 12 are not encouraged to attend prayer sessions.
Ismail Sabri said that the sweets should be packed and distributed at the end of a prayer session.
He said that in the recovery and conditional areas of the MCO, up to 20 people can gather at landed properties at any time during the celebration.
Those living in apartments of less than 1,500 square feet can have no more than 10 guests and those who live in units of 2,500 square feet or more can have a maximum of 15 guests at a time.
Ismail Sabri said that prayers in temples are not allowed in the improved areas of MCO and that the festival can only be celebrated with family members residing in the same house.
“Home visits are not allowed for Deepavali in improved MCO areas,” he said.
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