KUCHING: The Gawai Dayak celebration will be allowed for only one day on June 1 in areas under the conditional movement control order (CMCO) and the enhanced movement control order (EMCO) but restricted to family members of the same household or longhouse bilik (room).
Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) in its standard operating procedure (SOP) for the upcoming Gawai festival issued on Friday said, however, that ngabang or house-to-house visiting will not be allowed.
Similarly, for the pre-Gawai celebration on Gawai eve (May 31), the celebration in CMCO and EMCO areas is restricted to family members of the same household at the respective house – or in the longhouse setting, family members of the same room at the respective room.
For areas under the CMCO and EMCO, activities such as wedding, engagement and thanksgiving ceremonies, inter-zone travel to return to villages, the ritual of bathing children in the river, cockfights, telematches, and other social activities will not be permitted.
“The Village Development and Security Committees (JKKKs) are to monitor and ensure SOP compliance at the villages or longhouses during the Gawai celebration,” said SDMC.
With regard to carrying out miring ceremonies, it will not be permitted in areas under the enforcement of the EMCO.
As for CMCO areas, miring ceremonies are to be held in a location or ruai set by the JKKK, with attendance limited to a maximum of 20 people comprising ceremony managers and operators.
“Individuals who have symptoms of fever, cough, or flu are prohibited from participating in the ceremony,” said the committee.
SDMC added that face masks, physical distancing and attendance registration would be required as well for the miring ceremonies.
