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Following the widespread backlash last week, the government has released a revision of the Chinese New Year (CNY) standard operating procedures (SOP) which now allows reunion dinners with family members with certain restrictions.

In a statement released on Sunday (7 Feb), the National Unity Ministry outlined that reunion dinners are allowed with a maximum of 15 family members who live within a 10km radius, with no interstate or interdistrict travel allowed. The CNY Eve reunion dinner falls on 11th February.

Further revisions include allowing religious activities at places of worship on the 11th, 13th &19th February with strict SOP as below:

  • No more than 30 people at any given time, with physical distancing and wearing of face masks.
  • Each prayer session is capped at 30 minutes maximum with 30 minutes of sanitisation after.
  • Permitted prayer hours are from 6.00am – 2.00pm.
  • Hokkien Chinese New Year celebration prayers on 19 February allowed within respective home compounds.
CNY prayer schedule at places of worship for 11, 12 & 19 February 2021.
(Credit: National Unity Ministry/Facebook)

This updated CNY SOP comes days after the National Security Council (MKN) released the guidelines on 4th February that only allowed for reunion dinners with household members and banning of cultural activities.

READ MORE: MKN Announces SOPs For CNY, Receives Backlash From Malaysians

Public compliance with the updated SOPs will be monitored by officers appointed as compliance officers under Section 3 of the Act 342, Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988.

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