Penang to appeal for relaxation of Thaipusam SOP

GEORGE TOWN: The state government will appeal for more relaxed standard operating procedures (SOP) for Thaipusam.

Prof Dr P. Ramasamy, in his capacity as the Penang Hindu Endowment Board chairman, said they would send a letter to appeal for changes in the SOP to the National Security Council (NSC) and the National Unity Ministry, with a copy to be sent to the police as well.

Ramasamy, who was also Penang Deputy Chief Minister II, said the SOP was tight and hoped changes could be made.

"There are four things we are appealing, one is the age limit of those who can attend the festival.

"It is currently set at 18 and above, which we hope can be relaxed to follow the SOP set under Phase Four of the National Recovery Plan (NRP) which allows children to follow their vaccinated parents.

"We are also appealing for temple hours to be extended to 5am (the next day following) the eve of Thaipusam (Jan 17) to 11pm on Thaipusam day (Jan 18).

"We are requesting that they allow 3,000 (people) at any given time at the Balathandayuthapani Hilltop Temple in Waterfall Road on Thaipusam day," he said, adding that the current SOP only allows a maximum of 3,000 people there over a 24-hour period.

"This request is specifically for the Balathandayuthapani Hilltop Temple as it can accommodate a much larger crowd in its five acres (two hectares) of land," he said during a press conference held at Komtar in George Town on Friday (Jan 14).

Ramasamy said the appeal would include a request to increase the number of devotees allowed to follow the chariot.

"We are requesting for it to be increased to 500 people as the current 100 will not even cover the number of temple committee members," he said.

The current SOP states that only 100 people can follow the chariot procession and they must be temple committee members, staff and volunteers, with no one from the public allowed to participate.

Additionally, only 3,000 people were allowed for the entire 12 hours between 5am and 5pm at the temple on Thaipusam day.

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.