James Kon

Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar has urged the Chinese community in Brunei Darussalam to not conduct the tradition of Ching Ming Festival or Tomb-Sweeping Day in the coming days, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis.

“As I have said recently, all religious ceremonies or gathering at places of worship must be closed temporarily. Mosques are currently stopped for a week. Places of worship include temples and churches and others,” the minister said.

According to a statement, the Teng Yun Temple in Bandar Seri Begawan will not conduct any Tomb-Sweeping Day ceremony, automatically cancelling all Tomb-Sweeping Day ceremony for all Chinese cemeteries in all districts.

Teng Yun Temple received a notice from the Ministry of Health to urge members of the public to postpone their Ching Ming Festival until the situation has improved.

The executive committee of the Chinese temple hopes that the Chinese community will follow the instructions by the Ministry of Health and refrain from having mass gatherings to help lessen the spread of COVID-19.