The Thaipusam U-Turn

The Thaipusam holidays have taken the media’s attention as states under MCO and CMCO had to cancel the annual festivities to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.

On both MCO and CMCO topics, the Thaipusam celebration being cancelled is listed as one of the top issues within their respective topics.

The Penang government was the first state to cancel any celebration and urged them to pray at their own homes instead.

Following this, the Selangor state government has also cancelled all Thaipusam celebrations.

However, states that are under RMCO, Sarawak and Perlis, can conduct their celebrations if their state government allows it.

Recently, the Thaipusam ruling in KL took a quick U-turn after Annuar Musa made a statement stating that the National Security Council (MKN) has approved the Thaipusam chariot procession with only 10 temple personnel.

He also insisted that the temple personnel accompanying the chariot will be following strict SOPs, and there will be no procession apart from the chariot and 10 people personnel.

Deputy Chief of Penang, Ramasamy Palanisamy, has criticized MKN for having double standards by approving KL’s Thaipusam Chariot Celebration.

Claiming that it is irresponsible for the MKN to do so after every state had announced to cancel all the processions this year.

The issue with the KL’s Thaipusam chariot is also listed within the Ministries of Federal Territories (KWP) topic during 18th to 24th January 2021.

Previously, the Kedah government came under fire after it cancelled the holiday this year after it observed a special holiday for Thaipusam for the last eight years.

However, the Melaka government has recently announced that Hindu civil servants will be able to take unrecorded leave to celebrate with strict SOPs.

Melaka and Kedah are among the states that do not observe a public holiday for Thaipusam along with Pahang, Terengganu, Kelantan, Perlis, Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan.