Jais issues guidelines on visits to Muslim cemeteries during, post-RMCO period

KUCHING: Muslims are now allowed to visit the graves of their loved ones, following the issuance of guidelines by the Department of Islamic Affairs Sarawak (Jais) through its mosque institutions development division.

According to the department, the set guidelines pertaining to visits to Muslim cemeteries are applicable for implementation during and after the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) period, under the advisory from Sarawak Islamic Council (MIS).

“The allowed hours to visit the Muslim cemeteries are from 7am until 5pm, except for burials and maintenance works.

“During such visits and related activities, those involved must exercise self-control by observing the 1m social distancing, wearing face masks, using hand sanitisers regularly, taking care of the cleanliness of the site, and not shaking hands with one another.

“For every grave, the allowed visitation period is no more than 20 minutes, and there must be no more than five immediate family members at one time. It is recommended for the family to take turns in visiting the grave, if there are more than five members present,” said Jais in a statement yesterday.

It also advised the visitors to wait if there were too many people at the cemetery to the extent that it would be difficult to practise social distancing.

“Those who have just arrived are advised to wait until other families, who were there earlier, leave the cemetery.”

Jais pointed out that MIS would not hesitate in taking legal action against those who failed to comply with this directive.

For more information, go to https://jais.sarawak.gov.my/.