KUALA LUMPUR – After public blowback over the Chinese New Year standard operating procedures released by the National Security Council (NSC) yesterday, the National Unity Ministry said it will highlight appeals relating to reunion dinners and temple prayers.
In a statement today, the ministry said it has received feedback and appeals for temple prayers to be allowed on February 11 – the eve of CNY – to 13.
It reiterated that the SOPs were the product of discussions with 21 religious bodies, cultural groups and other stakeholders on January 12 and 18.
Among them are the Malaysian Buddhist Association, Buddhist Missionaries Society Malaysia, Persatuan Agama Taoisme Malaysia, Lutheran Church of Malaysia, Association of Churches in Sarawak, Malaysian Chinese Muslim Association, Fo Guang Shan and Persekutuan Persatuan Taoist Malaysia.
Any update to the SOPs will be announced by Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
NSC has come under fire for its confusing SOPs for the celebrations, with several leaders calling for a retraction.
Among others, the SOPs state that only family members within the same household are allowed to celebrate together, and that reunion dinners, traditionally held on CNY eve, can be held only on the first day of the festivities.
NSC allows for CNY celebrations to be held into February 13. Temple prayers are not allowed for the public, but five committee members from each temple can do so.
Deputy National Unity Minister Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker, in a Facebook post yesterday, said “someone has made a mistake” with the SOPs.
“Someone has made a mistake here. This SOP must be quickly withdrawn and rectified!”
His boss, Minister Datuk Halimah Mohamad Sadique, however, said the ministry consulted various cultural bodies, business groups and religious organisations before the SOPs were finalised. – The Vibes, February 5, 2021
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