Government of Malaysia wants to celebrate Eid without worsening coronavirus epidemic

As the coronavirus pandemic is increasingly under control in the country, the celebration of Raya 2020 has become a complicated subject for the government. It does not want to curb the religious fervor of the citizens, nor to aggravate the epidemic. EUTERS / Lim Huey Teng

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The end of Ramadan is imminent and Muslim countries are trying to legislate so as not to transform this holiday, among the most important in the Islamic calendar, into giant contamination. Saudi Arabia has thus declared a five-day curfew. In Malaysia, the authorities have welcomed the relatively low number of cases which makes it possible to avoid such a drastic measure, but nevertheless profess advice and prohibitions.

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With our correspondent in Kuala Lumpur , Gabrielle Maréchaux

Malaysians call the Eid Festival "Raya"  the banquet. It is a considerable feast which is organized each year. Muslims across the country are returning to their hometown, opening their homes to a whole community of extended family and friends.

A complicated subject

But as the coronavirus pandemic is increasingly under control in the country, with a positive case curve that has been decreasing since early April, the celebration of Raya 2020 has become a complicated subject for the government. It does not want to curb the religious fervor of the citizens , nor to aggravate the epidemic.

To keep up this difficult crest line, the government asked the Malaysians to welcome only twenty family members per household, the first day of Eid only, and to refrain from traveling.

Multiple checks

But while photos of the country's congested highways are already running, police said they would check car license plates to make sure illegal trips between provinces did not take place, and would not hesitate to enter houses, if she noticed that a significant number of vehicles were parked in front.

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  • Malaysia
  • Religion
  • Islam

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