Hari Raya Aidiladha SOPs for Phase 1 and Phase 2 of Malaysia's National Recovery Plan

These SOPs include details on activities that are allowed, protocols to follow at congregations, and more, in line with Hari Raya Aidiladha happening this week.

With Hari Raya Aidiladha happening this week, Malaysia's Department of Islamic Development has released a series of standard operating procedures (SOPs) to be adhered to, in line with the country's National Recovery Plan (NRP/ Pelan Pemulihan Negara or PPN).

These SOPs are for both Phase One and Phase Two of the NRP/PPN, and include details on activities that are allowed, protocols to follow at congregations, and more, as follows:

Activities that are allowed

• Takbir Hari Raya in Mosques and Suraus is allowed.
• Aidiladha prayer calls and sermons are permitted, in accordance with the provisions in the SOPs and state religious authorities, with physical distancing and compliance with the SOPs.
• Sacrificial worship is permitted in accordance with provisions in the SOPs, state religious authorities and parties, with physical distancing and compliance with the SOPs.

 Activities that are not allowed

• Takbir from house to house
• Hari Raya pilgrimage
• Cemetery pilgrimage
• Open Houses or Hari Raya banquets
• Banquets following the Adiladha prayers

Protocols and measures to follow

Contagion and infection control

• Mosques and suraus must establish a limited number of counters at entrances to check body temperature, hand sanitation and attendance records of the congregation.
• Face masks must be worn.
• Organisers must regularly sanitise the prayer rooms and the surrounding areas, including toilets and ablution rooms.
• The use of toilets should be limited according to the number of toilet rooms available at any one time.

Control and tracking

• Mosques/suraus should have sufficient staff to assist in the control of the congregation.
• Attendance must be recorded using the MySejahtera application, or recorded manually in an attendance book.
• Only healthy and asymptomatic pilgrims are allowed to attend.
• The doors of the mosque must be opened only one hour before prayers and closed immediately after the completion of congregational prayer activities.

Marking of Congregants and congregational ethics

• The management of the mosque must mark a distance of at least one metre between congregations.
• Congregants must not shake hands and touch each other in an orderly manner, and with physical distancing in place.
• Congregants are encouraged to bring their own prayer mats.
• The congregation is must disperse in a calm state and avoid shaking hands and hugging each other.
• No grouping is allowed after the completion of activities, either inside or outside the mosque and surau.
• The congregation must perform Wuḍūʾ at home, but are allowed to renew it at the mosque/surau.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced on Friday (16 July) that both Selangor and Kuala Lumpur will remain under Phase One of the PPN, according to a report by NST.

Per the report, of the three main threshold indicators, both states have only achieved one so far, that is, the vaccination of more than 10% of its adult population.

"Cases are still high and usage of beds in Intensive Care Units are still at a critical stage. The three threshold indicators must be met in order to transition to Phase Two. EMCO will be enforced at localities with a spike in Covid-19 cases," DPM Ismail Sabri was cited as saying. 

Photo / 123RF