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By Herald Malaysia
June 22 2020
Non-Muslim houses of worship have been given the green light to re-open.
KUALA LUMPUR – Non-Muslim houses of worship have been given the green light to re-open.
The National Unity Ministry (Kementerian Perpaduan Negara KPN) said the new SOP for religious activities in non-Muslim houses of worship was agreed upon at the Special Ministerial Meeting regarding the implementation of the Movement Control Order June 15.
“The SOP is in accordance with the guidelines provided by the National Security Council and the Health Ministry,” the KPN said in a statement on June 15.
The Ministry said the places of worship were allowed to operate with a capacity limit of one third of the number of devotees for the hall or place of worship with social distancing being practiced.
“It is time to operate again as usual but in the new normal, with self-discipline and new habits,” KPN said, adding that the activities in the houses of worship were also subject to the Health Ministry rules as provided under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342).
KPN said activities such as religious processions, feasts and big gatherings which were difficult to control, were prohibited.
“Committee members of places of worship, religious leaders and devotees are advised to adopt new habits and self-discipline, such as practising social distancing, wearing face masks, washing of hands frequently with soap, and using hand sanitisers,” the statement said.
Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who is also the Defence Minister, said at a press conference that at the Special Ministerial Meeting on the implementation of the MCO it was agreed that 5,230 houses of worship would be allowed to operate nationwide.
“The SOP mandates downloading the MySejahtera app or providing information manually,” he said. —Malay Mail/Bernama
Penang
The Penang State EXCO for Religions Other Than Islam, YB Chong Eng stated on June 16 that the Penang state government agrees with the Federal Government’s decision to reopen non-Islamic houses of worship from today onwards, provided that the respective committees are confident of abiding by the standard operating procedures (SOP) given.
After further discussion, the Penang State Government has agreed to allow the reopening of all non-Muslim houses of worship in Penang. Those who have submitted their application through the Penang government previously can also re-open from June 16 onwards. However, they must adhere to the following SOPs strictly:
1. Only one-third of the original capacity is allowed in each house of worship at any one time and must observe the 1 metre social distancing rule.
2. The distance of 1-metre is clearly marked in each house of worship.
3. Children under 12 years old are not allowed but worshippers who are above 70 years old and healthy are allowed.
4. Those with symptoms (such as: flu, body temperature exceeding 37.5°C, coughing and difficulty in breathing are strictly prohibited from attending.
5. High-risk groups (patients with diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, cancer, etc.) are discouraged from visiting the house of worship.
6. Monitor body temperature, wash hands frequently and wear masks. We also seek your cooperation to prepare hand sanitiser stations throughout your premise.
7. Personal data of each attendee must be recorded. It is recommended to download and use the PGCARE app (to facilitate contact tracing and notify any affected parties). 8. Religious processions, dinners and large gatherings are still prohibited.
Sarawak
In Sarawak, non-Muslim places of worship are allowed a maximum of 250 worshippers at any one time during a religious activity from June 20 onwards.
The Unit for Other Religions (Unifor) under the Chief Minister’s Department in a press statement on June 18 said it had further refined the guidelines for the standard operating procedures [SOPs) for the reopening of houses of worship.
It disclosed that the number of attendees during a religious activity has been increased to 250 (from 100 persons previously) at any one time during a religious activity.
Unifor asserted that the new guidelines were in line with the decision of the State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) to allow events for the state government and private sectors to increase the number of participants to 250 people.
Nonetheless, it stated that places of worship are required to take into consideration the spacing and capacity of the places of worship as well as observing the one metre social distancing rule. Unifor stressed that all nonMuslim places of worship are required to notify Unifor of their reopening from June 20. —Dayak Daily
Selangor
In Selangor, non-Muslim houses of worship can reopen from June 19, provided that all stipulated standard operating procedures (SOP) are in place. State Health, Welfare, Women’s Empowerment and Family Committee chairman, Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud, said the state government adopted the new SOP issued by the Ministry of National Unity with additional guidelines.
“All are allowed to visit their houses of worship except those in the high risk and very high risk groups.
“However, those who are 60 years old and above and are healthy are allowed to attend religious activities in the houses of worship,” she told a press conference, June 18.
The three additional guidelines were the low-risk category, high-risk group category, such as those 60 to 69 years of age, who had illnesses like high blood pressure, and the very high risk category, for people over the age of 70 and with chronic illness.
Dr Siti Mariah said that. at this time, children under 12 years old were still not allowed to attend any of the houses of worship in Selangor.
She said that through the additional guidelines distributed to the managements of houses of worship today the state government had urged them to appoint officials to oversee the logistics and the movements of worshippers, to ensure they adhered to the social distancing requirement.
She said the management of houses of worship should also keep in mind that the maximum capacity allowed at any one time was one-third of the area of the house of worship, taking into account the social distancing requirement of 1.5 metres per person.
“All houses of worship are required to register with the SELangah (Langkah Masuk Dengan Selamat) application for contact tracing purposes, to display the QR codes at the entrances and to avoid contact with others including shaking hands,” she said.
She said the Standing Committee on Non-Islamic Affairs of Selangor was currently devising a procedure that could be used by the religious adherents to apply for slots so that they could attend their houses of worship following the capacity that was allowed under the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO). — Star/ Bernama
Sabah
In Sabah, non-Muslim houses of worship in green and yellow zones are allowed to reopen with strict adherence to health procedures. Assistant Law and Native Affairs Minister Jenifer Lasimbang said this was decided by the state Cabinet as part of the recovery movement control order (RMCO).
However, only a third of the usual capacity of local worshippers would be allowed to attend religious services with the one metre social distancing requirement observed.
The body temperature of the worshippers or devotees will also be taken and they are advised to use face masks and have their hands sanitised, Lasimbang said in a statement.
“Those who are not allowed to attend religious services are those aged 70 and above, children aged 12 and below, individuals who show symptoms like coughing, sore throat and fever as well as those with health problems like diabetes, cancer and others,” she said.
She said weddings, funerals and celebrations involving a crowd and other contact activities such as group gatherings are still restricted during the RMCO period.
Committee members, heads of religious houses and those on duty are also prohibited from gathering in a crowd after services or prayers, she said. — FMT
