By Ayuni Nabila
GOMBAK, 31 December 2021: Prime Minister, Dato’ Sri Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced yesterday a cancellation of 2022 New Year celebrations to be replaced with prayers in solidarity of the victims of the recent devastating floods that hit across the peninsular.
He said the solat sunat hajat and doa selamat will be held to replace the celebrations.
The Prime Minister is inviting everyone to join the congregational Mahgrib prayers, ‘Malaysia Berzikir Ambang 2020’, solat hajat and doa selamat through his posting on Facebook yesterday.
The prayer will be conducted at 7 p.m tonight at Putra Mosque, Putrajaya and will be led by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs), Senator Hj. Idris Ahmad.
He also encouraged those who could not join the event to follow the live telecast by Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) and TV Al-Hijrah.
The Prime Minister also urged the same function be carried out all over the country especially in the state mosques.
Meanwhile, police patrols will be intensified in popular New Year countdown spots nationwide tonight to ensure the public continues to abide by the standard operating procedures under the National Recovery Plan.
Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani says that all state commissioners and district police chiefs have been ordered to scale up patrols and surveillance, after Putrajaya officially cancelled all public New Year celebrations.
“The aims of the surveillance patrols is to ensure that the SOPs are obeyed and to simultaneously prevent members of the public from gathering en masse to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Measures under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Disease Act (Act 342) can be imposed on any parties found in violation of the said SOPs,” he said in a statement today.
Acryl Sani reminded the public to strictly follow the SOPs as the COVID-19 pandemic still posed a serious threat.***
Sources: Bernama and Malay Mail