PUTRAJAYA DEC.14: The government is studying in detail on the standard operating procedures (SOP) relating to Christmas celebration on 25th Dec.2021 and Thaipusam on 18th January 2022.
Senior Minister of Defence, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said, the 10th Quartet Meeting has invited the Minister of National Unity, Datuk Halimah Sadique and Minister of Human Resources, Datuk Seri Saravanan to discuss with the Ministry of Health (MOH) and stakeholders to streamline the SOPs regarding the two celebrations.
Hishammuddin said, for Christmas the focus will be the SOP on prayers’ ceremony, visiting families, direct performance, choir singing or carolling from house to house and Christmas sales’stall.
Meanwhile, for Thaipusam, Hishammuddin said the discussion with Saravanan has focused on the SOP during prayers in the temple, the movement and journey of “Chariot”, carrying “kavadi”, paal koodam or milk pot, hair shave, ritual bath in the river and opening of stalls.
“In relation to that, I plead the people to adhere to the SOPs that will be announced by the Minister of National Unity in the most disciplined and responsible manner in line with the government’s target via the Reopening Safely efforts,” Hishammuddin said after chairing the 10th COVID-19 Quartet Ministers’ Meeting held here today.
On the arrival of more foreign workers to the country, Hishammuddin said, the Cabinet meeting on 10th December 2021 had requested the Quartet Ministers to study the safe criteria to bring in bigger numbers of foreign workers.
The Senior Minister said, the Quartet Meeting had invited the Minister of Human Resources, Saravanan to clarify the real situation and propose the suitable approach to handle the situation.
“The Quartet Meeting is only focused on an improved pre-departure process, on arrival, quarantine period and post-quarantine. To determine the number of foreign workers is not under the jurisdiction of Quartet Meeting but under the Ministry of Human Resources and Ministry of Home Affairs,” he said.
Hishammuddin added, the new SOPs have been set and streamlined but it depends on the quota that is approved by the Joint Committee between Minister of Home Affairs and Minister of Human Resources on Management of Foreign Workers. – Malaysia World News
