GEORGE TOWN: Thaipusam preparations in Penang have become chaotic with a change of standard operating procedure (SOP) that has caught the organisers unawares.
They have now been forced to scramble to make changes to conform to the rules which state that only 100 people can follow the chariot, and that only 3,000 people can enter the temple between 5am and 5pm.
The temple also has to be closed by 5pm. Before Covid-19, the temple closed at midnight.
Penang Hindu Endowment Board (PHEB) executive director Datuk M. Ramachandran said their plans had gone awry because of the National Security Council ruling that only 100 people could follow the chariot procession.
Last Thursday, National Unity Minister Datuk Halimah Mohamed Sadique visited the Sree Balathandayuthapani Hilltop Temple and said 1,000 people would be able to follow the chariot.
“However, the SOP announced on Wednesday states that only 100 people would be allowed.
“All the 100 must be members of the temple committee, staff and volunteers, with no one from the public allowed to join,” said Ramachandran after attending a Thaipusam meeting at the George Town police district headquarters here yesterday.
Hilltop Temple committee chairman Datuk R. Subramaniam was also stunned by the SOP that only 3,000 people would be allowed for the entire 12 hours between 5am and 5pm at the temple.
“Only about 250 people will be allowed to go up, pray for 30 minutes and then leave. We must sanitise the temple for 30 minutes before the next batch of people are allowed in,” he said.
Subramaniam said it was going to arduous to limit access to only 3,000 devotees for the festival, which saw more than 500,000 during the pre-Covid-19 days.
Waterfall Nattukotai Chettiar Temple managing trustee Dr A. Narayanan said closing the temple by 5pm was another “tall order”.
“If we are to sanitise every 30 minutes, only six hours is left and maybe only half of the 3,000 can enter before we must close,” he predicted.
The SOP states that the temples can only be open until 11pm on Thaipusam on Jan 18 and until 5pm for the other days of the celebrations between Jan 15 and 17.
Residents and eatery owners along Jalan Utama and Jalan Kebun Bunga said they would miss the carnival atmosphere of Thaipusam again this year.
“The thaneer panthal (refreshment stalls) and kavadi are what that makes the religious festival colourful and I will miss those,” said housewife S. Suria, 42, who lives in Western Garden.
Lawyer Veronica Lam, 37, who also lives on Jalan Utama, said it was never a hassle for her as she would get a pass from the temple to drive past the closed roads to her home during the three days.
“I have been living here for 10 years and am familiar with the busy street. I used to accompany my mother to see the chariot procession on Thaipusam eve,” she added.
A char kuey teow seller along Gottlieb Road, who only wants to be know as Ah Beng, said the toned down Thaipusam would be bad for business.
“The food court here sees a roaring business every year we had hoped there would be at least a considerable crowd this year,” he said.
Meanwhile, Penang Hindu Association (PHA) urged authorities to ban the sale of prayer paraphernalia with images of Lord Muruga and other deities on the labels.
“The empty boxes, packets and wrappers are thrown into the rubbish bin, an act which is not only offensive but a degrading use of religion for commercial gain,” said PHA president P. Murugiah.
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