Here Are The SOPs For Celebrating Deepavali This Year
The upcoming holiday will fall on 4 November.
By May Vin Ang — 29 Oct 2021, 11:36 AM
The Ministry of National Unity has released standard operating procedures (SOPs) for celebrating Deepavali this year
In a statement on Thursday, 28 October, the ministry said the guidelines in each state will vary according to the stage of the National Recovery Plan (NRP) they are in.
The upcoming holiday will fall on 4 November.
Religious activities and prayers in temples and other places of worship are only allowed in states that are in Phase Three and Four
However, this is only permitted to fully vaccinated individuals.
The states that are in Phase Three of the NRP are Perlis, Kedah, Penang, Perak, Kelantan, Sabah, and Sarawak.
Meanwhile, the federal territories of Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur, and Labuan, as well as Selangor, Pahang, Negeri Sembilan, Johor, and Melaka are in Phase Four.
The number of temple attendees are also subject to the size of the premises, and must take into account physical distancing of 1m at all times.
Activities at places of worship are allowed from 6am to 2pm and from 4pm to 10pm, while only packaged food is allowed to be given out as dining in is not allowed.
Additionally, processions are prohibited, but Deepavali bazaars and markets are still allowed with the approval of local authorities
Meanwhile, the ministry said house visiting and cemetery visits are also only allowed for the fully vaccinated.
In the statement, National Unity Minister Datuk Halimah Mohamed Sadique hoped that people celebrating will adhere to the new normal and continue to practise good hygiene, wear face masks, and observe physical distancing to curb the spread of COVID-19.
