FIFTEEN immediate family members living within 10km will be allowed to gather for the reunion dinner on the eve of Chinese New Year, the National Unity Ministry today, rescinding a previous set of widely panned rules that forbade such gatherings.

“Family Reunion Dinner on February 11 is allowed with no more than 15 immediate family members living within a 10km without crossing districts and states,” it said.

However, the ministry said a ban on inter district and state travel remained.

Last week, the government said only those living under the same roof could attend the “reunion” dinner.

Many people denounced the rule as nonsensical, as many had family members live within 10km of the same area and not affected by inter district and state restrictions during the movement control order (MCO). 

The previous set of rules also wrongly assumed that the reunion dinner would be on the first day of the New year of February 12, and not on the eve.

The updated rules have corrected this and will be in force until February 13.

The ministry also said devotees will now be allowed to enter temples on  the eve (February 11), first (February 12) and the eighth day (February 19) of Chinese New Year.

It said no more than 30 people will be allowed to enter at a time, and prayers will be from 6am to 2pm.

The ministry said people will be allocated 30 minutes, and it should be interspersed with sanitation work for 30 minutes before the next prayer time

It said the prayer activities on February 19 in conjunction with the Jade Emperor Birthday or the Hokkien New Year will be confined to the respective temple courtyards at night.– February 7, 2021.