KUALA LUMPUR, June 24 — Muslims celebrating Aidiladha next month will get to perform the korban as the government is set to lift restrictions on social events starting July 1.
Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said today a standard operating procedure (SOP) for the ritual is now in the works, led by the federal department in charge of Islamic affairs, Jakim.
The korban, a holy ritual that involves sacrificing livestock to commemorate the Islamic Prophet Ibrahim, has become a yearly communal event.
But Ismail Sabri said social distancing will still need to be observed at this year’s korban.
The government has imposed a cap on volunteers of 30 persons per livestock, order organisers to conduct the sacrifice in open spaces, and avoid close gathering.
“Korban activities will be allowed only at mosques, surau or selected premises,” Ismail said at the National Security Council’s daily Covid-19 briefing in Putrajaya.
The regulation will only apply to the federal territories, the minister said, noting that other states will have to produce its respective SOPs.
Islamic matters are strictly a state jurisdiction under the country’s federal system, but Ismail said they are welcomed to adopt federal guidelines.
“The NSC has prepared a comprehensive SOP and if the state authorities are considering allowing korban to be performed they can always use the SOP as the guideline,” he said.
The government said it would lift restrictions on large scale social events starting July 1, although with certain conditions.
Among them is a cap on time and attendees; organisers must keep the function within five hours and limit attendees to just 250 people.
Public health authorities had banned all forms of mass gatherings since March, as part of a nationwide movement control order enforced amid a sharp spike in local Covid-19 infections.
Mass gatherings like the Sri Petaling tabligh event in February were identified as a major source of the country’s Covid-19 cases, now reaching nearly 9,000.
Daily new cases have dwindled since April and are now in the single digits.
