No prayers for the dead at Nirvana memorial parks during Qingming
CORONAVIRUS | Nirvana Memorial Park will not allow prayer sessions for the dead at its cemeteries for the annual Qingming ritual, which falls on April 4.
Relatives visit the tombs of their ancestors during the ritual, which is also known as the Tomb-Sweeping Day or Chinese Memorial Day. It is common for prayer sessions to be held during the two weeks leading up to the ritual and two weeks after Qingming...
CORONAVIRUS | Nirvana Memorial Park will not allow prayer sessions for the dead at its cemeteries for the annual Qingming ritual, which falls on April 4.
Relatives visit the tombs of their ancestors during the ritual, which is also known as the Tomb-Sweeping Day or Chinese Memorial Day. It is common for prayer sessions to be held during the two weeks leading up to the ritual and two weeks after Qingming.
Speaking to Malaysiakini this evening, Nirvana's chief marketing officer Lee Jye Chi said the funeral service provider will comply with the government's movement control order, which starts tomorrow until March 31, to curb the spread of Covid-19.
“All prayer activities during Qingming will be prohibited.
“(Organising religious activities) is prohibited during this period when the virus is spreading. Our company encourages the public to prioritise their health,” she added.
Lee said the prayer sessions can be held when the situation becomes more stable.
“The public can instead do the prayers at home or come to our memorial parks when the situation improves,” she added.
Meanwhile, Xiao En Group has announced that they will not be taking visitors during the order period.
"Xiao En Group denies all visitors or any praying activities related to Qingming Festival from March 18 to 31, until further notice."
This applies to Xiao En's burial plots in Cheras, Nilai and Malacca.
Meanwhile, chairperson of the Association of Kwong Tong Cemetery Management Kuala Lumpur also urged the public to refrain from holding the prayer sessions.
He, too, suggested that prayers be conducted at home.
“The association urges the public to comply with the government's order and avoid visiting the cemetery during this period.
“(The association) encourages the public to pray at home or do the prayers after the order has been lifted,” he added in a statement.
The statement also urged the managements of the Selangor and Kuala Lumpur Cemetery and National Chinese Cemetery to comply with the government's order as well.
However, Chun Kong said the Kwong Tong Cemetery would conduct funeral services as usual.
Last night, Prime Minister Muhyiddin announced the restriction order following the spike in Covid-19 cases.
The order involves the following:
1. A ban on all mass gatherings, including religious, sports, social and cultural activities.
All business premises will have to close, except supermarkets, wet markets, grocery shops and convenience stores.
2. All Malaysians are banned from travelling abroad while Malaysians returning from abroad will have to undergo health screenings and undergo self-quarantine for 14 days.
3. Entry restrictions for foreign tourists and visitors.
4. The suspension of all schools and learning institutions.
5. All higher learning institutions and skill training centres will have to close.
6. All government and private premises must close except for essential services - water, electricity, energy, telecommunications, postal services, transport, maritime, fuel, gas, lubricants, broadcast, financial services, banking, healthcare, pharmacies, fire and rescue, prisons, ports, airports, security, defence, cleaning and supplying of food.
