Open houses and carolling activities are prohibited during this festive season throughout the entire country, says Defense Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob in a press conference today.
House visits and Christmas celebrations are only allowed on 25 December, while Christians will only be allowed to perform prayers and ceremonies on 24 and 25 December in areas where RMCO and CMCO are being enforced.
In contrasts, areas where EMCO is being enforced, Malaysians are only allowed to celebrate the festive holidays at home and no prayer ceremonies or pilgrimage activities are allowed.
Christmas celebrations being celebrated in landed homes can have no more than 20 guests, non-landed homes with an area of less than 1,500 square feet can only have 10 guests, while houses with an area of 2,500 square feet and above can have a maximum of 15 – all of which must be family members.
On 24 December, prayer ceremonies should only be held between 5pm and 9.30pm in only two sessions, with the duration of one hour 30 minutes per session, and a 45-minute break for sanitisation works before starting a new session.
“On December 25, the prayer ceremony should be held between 7am and 1.45pm in three sessions (one hour 30 minutes per session) with a 45-minute break for sanitisation works before starting a new session,” he said.
In addition, houses of worship are required to set up screening counters at entrances as well as limit the number of attendees allowed to come. Prayer ceremonies at minor basilicas, cathedrals, churches and chapels are required to comply to previously issued SOPs for houses of worship.
Also read: Defence Minister, Ismail Sabri To Explain In Detail About SOPS & Lockdowns on TV1 Tonight
