Proposed SOP for other religious group activities to be tabled next week
Datuk Halimah Mohamed Sadique has been directed to look into the matter and to discuss with the leaders of the five other biggest religions in the country namely Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism. - Filepic
The proposed standard operating procedure (SOP) for religious group activities at places of worship, will be tabled at the Special Ministerial Committee to coordinate the implementation of the movement control order (MCO), by next Tuesday.
Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the SOP would be tabled by National Unity Minister, Datuk Halimah Mohamed Sadique.
He said after the government introduced the SOP to lift curbs on Muslims praying at the mosque, other religious groups also requested that they are given similar flexibility, to carry out their activities according to SOPs set by the authorities.
"The National Unity Minister has been directed to look into the matter and to discuss with the leaders of the five other biggest religions in the country namely Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism.
"I understand that the proposal will be tabled at the special ministerial meeting tomorrow or latest on Tuesday, and following that we will make a decision," he told the daily press conference on the CMCO here today.
Meanwhile, he said, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs), Senator Datuk Seri Dr Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri would give a full report on how things went on the first day after the government’s decision to lift the curbs on performing Friday prayers at mosques and selected surau.
"If there is non-compliance, we may have to station some police or any uniformed personnel there to ensure compliance."
On media reports that some had prayed in a congregation in the National Mosque compounds, he hoped everyone had adhered to the SOP.
He said the SOP for Friday prayers had been decided by the Special Muzakarah Committee of the National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs.
"The SOP cannot be changed. If it says only 30 worshippers are allowed in the mosque, 60 others cannot be praying outside the mosque or so forth," he said.
Ismail Sabri did not rule out the possibility that should there be violations of the SOP in several areas, the permit would be withdrawn.
"In isolated cases, the mosque in question will be advised to comply with the SOPs but we will not withdraw the permits from others that have been adhering to the SOPs," he said.
-- BERNAMA
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