Christmas activities allowed with conditions in CMCO, RMCO areas

Christians will be allowed to attend Christmas service on Dec 24 and 25 in areas under recovery movement control order (RMCO) and conditional movement control order (CMCO).

Senior Minister for Security Ismail Sabri Yaakob said screening centres should be set up at the entrance of churches with a limit on the number of congregants.

Services on Dec 24 are to be held in two sessions between 5pm and 9.30pm with each session capped at one hour and 30 minutes and a 45-minute break between sessions for sanitisation activities.

“On Dec 25, services should be held between 7am and 1.45pm in three sessions lasting an hour and 30 minutes per session with a 45-minute break for sanitisation before the start of the next session,” he said.

Services should comply with the SOPs previously issued for houses of worship subject to the size of the venue, with physical distancing maintained at all times, he added.

Services and pilgrimage activities will not be allowed in areas under enhanced movement control order (EMCO), where families will only be allowed to celebrate in their own homes.

In areas under RMCO and CMCO, celebrations will be allowed at landed residences although only on the first day with not more than 20 guests comprising close family members.

For non-landed strata properties with an area of less than 1,500 square feet, guests must be capped at 10, while for homes with an area of ​​2,500 square feet and above, the maximum number is 15.

Open houses and carolling activities will not be allowed.