Ismail Sabri: Non-Islamic houses of worship allowed to resume operations at two-thirds capacity

KUCHING: The federal government has allowed all nonIslamic places of worship in the country to open and operate with a two-thirds capacity from now on, said Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

Despite giving the permission, he pointed out that all state governments in the country still have the authority whether to allow any of the non-Muslim places of worship to operate or not at the moment.

“Places of worship are also required to follow standard operating procedures (SOP) set for the places of gathering during the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) time such as practising social-distancing, temperature scanning and recording the attendance of people who visit the place,” he added at the daily press conference on Covid-19 security issues in Putrajaya yesterday (June 15).

During the press conference Ismail Sabri revealed that all Malaysians who are overseas at the moment would be given the alternative to undergo a swab test to prove that they are Covid-19 negative at any country they are in and travelling from if they want to return to the country.

“This decision was made to reduce congestion or waiting time at the airports where Malaysians returning from overseas would be asked to undergo a Covid-19 swab test at international airports in the country.

“The wait at the airport can be long as they have to wait for their swab test results before being allowed to go home,” he said.

By recommending Malaysians to do it outside of the country, Ismail said that it would give Malaysians a shorter waiting time at the airports to go home after arriving in the country.

For the alternative, Malaysians must however take a Covid-19 swab test and obtain its result at least three days before arriving in the country.

“Those found to be negative can be allowed to go home however they must also comply with the SOP set by the government such as going through home quarantine, downloading the MySejahtera application and wearing special quarantine wristbands for second screening process while those who are Covid-19 positive will be treated at whichever country they take the test,” said Ismail Sabri.

As of June 14 a total of 212 Malaysians who arrived from overseas at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) were ordered to undergo a compulsory 14-day home quarantine process in adherence to the other requirements under the SOP.