KUCHING: The Hungry Ghost Festival celebrants this year must comply with the recovery movement control order (RMCO) standard operating procedures (SOPs), said Kuching South City Council (MBKS) mayor, Datuk Wee Hong Seng.
The Hungry Ghost Festival is the most important day in the Ghost Month (seventh month of the Chinese lunar calendar.) which is from August 19-September 16 this year.
The Chinese believe the ghosts of the dead are let out of hell on the first day of the Hungry Ghost Month.
Wee said that organisations and temples celebrating the festival must notify MBKS and the Unit For Other Religions (Unifor) from August 18.
He explained that the forms would be available at MBKS counters/centres and the Resident’s Office from August 18.
“Last week, we (MBKS) had a meeting with worship houses and associations under Lembaga Amanah Khairat Bukan Islam on the SOPs.
“Then we put up the SOPs to State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC). They had been approved,” he told reporters at a press conference on the Hungry Ghost Festival guidelines at MBKS on Monday (August 17).
Wee said the ‘Qiang Gu’ ceremony would not be allowed during the festival this year to contain the spread of Covid-19 as it involved physical contact.
‘Qiang Gu’ is a traditional activity during the Hungry Ghost Festival; the organising committee will toss tickets in the air for participants to grab and the tickets can be redeemed for food hampers.
Unifor director Richard Lon said it was important for organisers to comply with the SOPs strictly during the Hungry Ghost Festival celebration.
“The local council will provide the forms from MBKS and from Unifor. It is better for the associations or temples to fill both.
“Shop owners celebrating the festival must also follow the SOPs,” he said.
Present at the press conference were Federation of Chinese Associations of Kuching, Samarahan and Serian Division president, Datuk Richard Wee and chairman of Kuching South Hawkers Association, Tan Choon Yong.
The SOPs for the Hungry Ghost Festival celebration ar as follows:
• Maximum attendance
The maximum attendance, after taking into consideration the size of the venue and one metre of social distancing, shall not be more 250 people at any one time.
• Health care practices
Sanitisation of the venue must be done before and after the completion of the festival.
Participants showing symptoms of fever, cough or having breathing difficulties are not allowed to attend the festival. Those with chronic illnesses are advised to take precautionary actions and are not encouraged to attend the festival.
Children aged 12 years old and below are not allowed to attend the festival.
• Prohibited activities
Eating and drinking activities as well as activities involving physical contact are strictly prohibited.
• Practices before, during and after festival
A) Before
The organising committee is to prepare a registration counter for the following:
1) To take the temperature of all personnel on duty and participants attending.
2) To ensure that all personnel on duty and participants wear face masks.
3) To ensure that social distancing is adhered to.
Participants must sanitise their hands with hand sanitisers placed at the entrance of the venue.
Participants must record their attendance using the MySejahtera or COVIDTrace or QMunity application or by filling in the attendance book provided.
B) During
Participants must kneel, sit or stand at designated areas only.
C) After
Participants must leave the venue in an orderly manner.
Socialising is not encouraged.
The management committee is to sanitise the venue.
The management committee must maintain the cleanliness of the said venue.
• Responsibilities of participants
To adhere strictly to the festival’s schedule or time table.
To wear face masks at all times.
To avoid physical contact with other participants.
To record their attendance through the MySejahtera/ COVIDTrace/ QMunity application or by filling in the attendance book.
Participants are encouraged to bring their own pens to fill in the attendance book.
Participants must maintain the cleanliness of the said venue.
• Responsibilities of the organising committee
To sanitise the venue, before and after the festival.
To ensure that the venue has good ventilation.
To ensure that participants enter through one entrance and exit through another.
To ensure social distancing of at least one metre is adhered to at all times.
To make available hand sanitisers or soap at the entrance.
To ensure all participants wear face masks at all times.
To check the body temperature of all personnel on duty and participants.
To ensure participants record their attendance using the QMunity/MySejahtera/COVIDTrace application or by filling in the attendance book.
The management committee must maintain the cleanliness of the said venue.
To appoint at least two personnel to monitor and ensure that the SOP is adhered to.
