PUTRAJAYA – Thaipusam celebrations at temples this year in states under the movement control order (MCO) and conditional MCO (CMCO) is not allowed.
The National Unity Ministry (KPN) in a statement today said this decision was made in line with the announcement by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on January 11 on the implementation of the MCO and CMCO from January 13 to 26.
The MCO involves Penang, Selangor, Melaka, Johor, Sabah and the three Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan, and the CMCO is in effect in Pahang, Perak, Negri Sembilan, Kedah, Terengganu and Kelantan.
On Friday, Senior Minister (Security) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced the enforcement of the MCO in Sibu, Sarawak, and in Kelantan, effective Saturday to January 29.
National Unity Minister Datuk Halimah Mohamed Sadique said in the same statement that the decision was made at the Minister of Defence Technical Committee Meeting No. 3, 2021, following discussions between KPN and Hindu religious heads, the National Security Council, and Health Ministry.
Halimah said her ministry was informed of the state governments’ (except Perlis) decisions to not allow Thaipusam celebrations at temples.
The technical committee also agreed that Thaipusam celebrations can be held in Perlis and Sarawak, which are states under recovery MCO, with the permission of the respective state governments and tighter standard operating procedures.
So far, only the Perlis government is allowing Thaipusam celebrations. – Bernama, January 18, 2021
