KUALA LUMPUR, May 14 — The Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) is currently in discussions with the National Security Council and Health Ministry on guidelines for non-Muslim places of worship during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Its deputy president Jagir Singh said the discussions began last week. The guidelines are expected to help the management in these places of worship to conduct prayers or ceremonies and handle its congregants, once it has been deemed fit for them to reopen.

"There is no fixed date on when the discussions will conclude, but I hope it will be within the next two weeks,” he told Malay Mail when contacted.

Earlier today, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of Islamic Affairs Datuk Seri Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri announced that select mosques and surau in the Federal Territories will be permitted to conduct daily and Friday prayers under strict standard operating procedures, including limiting the number of congregants to a maximum of 30 people.

Leading up to the first implementation of the movement control order (MCO) on March 18, a number of non-Muslim places of worship or bodies in the country began to issue preventive measures for attendees, or otherwise cancelling annual or special prayers.