The standard operating procedures for this year’s Chinese New Year (CNY) are welcome, as they show that Cabinet respects public feedback in the formulation and approval of the relevant SOP considering that CNY is the most important festival for the Chinese community in Malaysia.
I also appeal to the public to remember to adhere to the SOP to prevent the Covid-19 virus from spreading when celebrating the festive season. This is to ensure the health security of individuals as well as their respective families.
Experience from the previous year proves that the government is willing to listen to public feedback and prioritise the rakyat. This year’s CNY SOP was formulated in accordance with the traditional customs of the Chinese community and these efforts are commendable.
Last year, controversy unfurled when the government announced the CNY SOP which stated that reunion dinners and visitations were limited to those residing in the same household! Greeting each other was prohibited.
These suggest that the SOP formulators did not fully comprehend Chinese customs and cultural practices. However, this year, after discussion between various government departments, it is apparent that the government has learnt its lessons from 2021’s faux pas when it formulated the SOP for 2022.
Although this year’s SOP has been relaxed, and under the SOP of Phase 4 of the National Recovery Plan and individuals may return to their hometowns or balik kampung for the family reunion dinner, we ought to carry out our own pandemic preventive safeguards.
This include self-testing before embarking on the journey to balik kampung.
With the new Omicron strain of the coronavirus on the rise, one cannot afford to rest on one’s laurels when it comes to protection against this infectious disease.
Therefore, it is incumbent on all of us to abide with the SOP on curtailing the contagion to enjoy a safe and healthy CNY.
Datuk Leong Kim Soon
MCA Spokesperson
