Kavadi, Chingay processions not allowed - Halimah

Minister of National Unity, Datuk Halimah Mohamed Sadique said this is because the country is facing the new COVID-19 Omicron variant.

"In the application for Thaipusam, the procession is not allowed as we are facing the new (COVID-19) variant.

"...secondly on Chingay, as I have already mentioned procession is not allowed for Thaipusam, so whatever forms of processions would also not be allowed and the decision depends on three committees," she said during Minister's Question Time at Dewan Rakyat today.

Halimah was replying to a supplementary question by Steven Choong Shiau Yoon (Independent-Tebrau) who wanted to know whether the standard operating procedure for the coming Chinese New Year allowed Chingay procession during the festival.

Meanwhile, when replying to the original question by Sivakumar Varatharaju Naidu (PH-Batu Gajah) who wanted to know the SOP formulated for Thaipusam celebration on Jan 18 2022, Halimah said the proposed SOP for the festival including Christmas this year would be tabled to three committees for approval in the middle of December.

She said it would be presented to the Pandemic Management Technical Working Group onDec 13, and later brought to the Quartet Ministers Meeting on Dec 14 before being taken to the Special Committee on Pandemic Management meeting chaired by Prime Minister scheduled on Dec 15.

"After receiving the decision of the meetings, a circular on the approved SOP would be sent to religious leaders and a media statement would be prepared," she said.

Halimah said for the provision of the Thaipusam SOP, her ministry held an engagement session with 10 Hindu religious leaders and representatives of the National Security Council as well as the Health Ministry on Dec 2.

The engagement session she said was aimed at obtaining detailed information on activities and religious ceremonies suitable for the festival and through the engagement session, seven matters (or religious activities ) were identified including the operation of stalls subject to the approval of the local authorities.

For each festive SOP celebrated by the various races in the country, Halimah said the ministry would hold engagement sessions with the related parties two months before the date of the festival.

"All SOP proposals after the engagement session would be brought to each of the committee meeting stated earlier. As such, there is no problem with providing SOP for whatever festivals for the Malaysian Family," she said.