.jpg "Malaysian Muslims observe social distancing while performing Friday prayers at the Sultan Azlan Shah Mosque in Ipoh May 15, 2020. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Farhan Najib")
KOTA KINABALU, May 21 — Sabah is holding on to the lockdown on the upcoming Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations.
The State Covid-19 Command Centre today issued a reminder to Sabahans that no mass festivities will be allowed in the state aside from immediate family members under the same household and limited to 20 people together, depending on the size of the home.
“Activities that are not allowed during this time are visiting relatives and good friends, returning to your hometown, open houses, prayers at the mosque, any kind of kenduri, visiting of graves or tahlil, house-to-house marhaban or any kind of festivals,” said the state secretary Datuk Safar Untong in a statement today.
“Marhaban” refers to a Malay ritual during Aidilfitri where large groups of adherents would move from one house to another in a village, reciting Islamic supplications at each house.
“We would like to remind everyone to continue complying with the standard operating procedure as stated by the National Security Council in order for us to continue fighting again the spread of Covid-19 in the community,” he said.
Health authorities in the country have said that despite the allowances to have small gatherings, the public should keep social distance and remember not to make contact and keep up good hygiene practices.
