KUCHING, May 28: The National Unity Ministry has approved 174 non-Islamic religious houses of worship in the green zone to reopen on June 10.
The ministry in a press statement today said among the houses of worship which are allowed to reopen in Sarawak include Hope Bintulu, International Full Gospel Fellowship (IFGF) Bintulu Sarawak and IFGF Sungai Plan in Bintulu.
It asserted that houses of worship which were approved must adhere to the standard operating procedure (SOP) which has been laid out by the ministry following a special Cabinet meeting on May 21.
Those include limiting the number of worshipers to a maximum of 30 people in accordance with the size of the worship hall.
Only Malaysian citizens are allowed to visit while elderly worshippers and children are not.
Other basic guidelines include taking body temperature of worshippers, ready hand sanitisers and wearing face masks must be followed at all times.
The National Unity Ministry added that wedding ceremonies in temple, church and religious association were not allowed to be conducted in those places until July 31 as specified by the National Registration Department director on May 12.
It pointed out that only houses of worship which have been approved by the ministry according to the time and days to open are allowed to operate from June 10.
The National Unity Ministry emphasised that any house of worship which would like to reopen must submit their applications to the ministry through their religious association according to the procedure which will be laid out after June 10.
The ministry explained that applications received for the reopening of houses of worship after June 10 will be brought to the Special Cabinet Minister Meeting for further consideration from time to time.
Meanwhile, 174 houses of worship nationwide which have been approved to reopen include 84 Hindu temples, 15 Buddhist temples, 67 churches and eight Sikh gurdwara. —DayakDaily
