SARAWAK has raised the maximum number of worshippers at prayers and other religious ceremonies in churches and temples at any one time to 250 during the recovery movement-control order (RMCO), with social distancing in place.

The Unit for Other Religions (Unifor), which is under the Chief Minister’s Department, said the increase from 100 people previously received had the approval of the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee.

This, however, would depend on the size of the house of worship and must take into consideration the 1m social distancing requirement.

All non-Muslim houses of worship in the state can reopen from Saturday but Unifor has advised them to only do so if they are ready to fully comply with the reopening guidelines.

Under the guidelines, only houses of worship that have been registered with certain bodies are allowed to be reopened.

These bodies are the Missionary Societies Ordinance 1937, the Lembaga Amanah Khairat Bukan Islam under the Charitable Trust Ordinance and the Registrar of Societies (RoS) under the Societies Act.

Other guidelines stipulate that children under 12 years-old are not allowed to attend any worship session, nor is anyone with symptoms of fever, cough or breathing difficulties.

Those with chronic illnesses have been discouraged from attending any worship sessions and if they insist, they are advised to take “precautionary actions”.

The church or temple must be sanitised before and after the completion of each session.

These houses of worship are also required to submit a notice of their reopening to Unifor.

Gatherings that are still banned include any eating and drinking or morning teas that churches usually hold after worship services, as well as activities involving physical contact and socialising. – June 18, 2020.