ITC PROMOTES A RESPONSIBLE ZIARAH THIS RAMADAN

Promotional poster for ITC’s third and final Ramadan SEED online sharing session which took place via ZOOM, starring SAC M.V. Srikumar a/l M. Nair as guest speaker

PUTRAJAYA, MALAYSIA, 6 MAY 2021 – In line with the month of Ramadan 1442H, Islamic Tourism Centre (ITC) today ran another one of its Ramadan SEED online webinars, “Ziarah Terdidik”, which places focus on the practise of responsible ziarah.

The guest speaker, YDH Special Assistant Commissioner (SAC) M.V. Srikumar a/l M. Nair from the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) provided insight on the health guidelines, or SOPs, set by the authorities, that need to be abided by during the festive season. SAC Srikumar has been serving in Operations at PDRM’s Department of Internal Security and Public Order, since January 2020, and was previously the Assistant Deputy Commissioner to His Majesty the Sultan of Johor. SAC Srikumar has been in the force for over 30 years.

The talk was a timely one with Hari Raya Aidilfitri just around the corner at the time and it gave opportunities for knowledge sharing on ways we could celebrate festive events in a safe and considerate manner, in other words, responsibly. It also marked a deviation from the prior two similar sessions which focused on personal health and well-being.

Ziarah, which translates into visit, speaks about the custom of visiting relatives and friends during Hari Raya Aidilfitri. Responsible ziarah was first mooted by former Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador last year, owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Moderated by Ms Siti Sarah Hussein, an ITC Senior Executive from the Research & Training Division, the session saw the coverage of several topics such as:  

– General National Security Council (MKN) standard operating procedures (SOPs)

– SOPs for Hari Raya Aidilfitri by the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM)

– SOPs for Sunnah prayers by the state religious authority (PBAN)

– Meals (jamuan) after prayers

– Visits (ziarah) and grave visits (ziarah kubur)

– General procedures, namely, limiting crowd numbers at any given time, provision of hand sanitisers, physical distancing, visiting the elderly, proximal greetings and gestures e.g. kissing and hugging, wearing face masks and avoiding sharing cutleries

– Ensuring ventilation in enclosed spaces such as the home

– Avoiding taking in non-family members in car rides, and sanitising vehicles regularly

During the Q&A session, a participant enquired whether police permits were required for medical appointments. SAC Srikumar shared that in such scenarios, the prerogative lies upon the police officer at the roadblock. Information required to be presented at the roadblock includes the name of the medical facility, and a document showing one’s history of illnesses. However, he also advised that such an avenue should not be exploited.

Dato’ Dr. Mohmed Razip Haji Hasan, Director General of Islamic Tourism Centre, shared a few words during the session, saying: “Due to the current pandemic, ITC takes the initiative and responsibility to create awareness on current topics of interest. Through this session on Ziarah Terdidik, we are pleased to play our role by collaborating with the authorities to share and spread accurate information about festive celebrations and ways to celebrate and enjoy such occasions in a responsible manner, in line with the current SOPs.” 

He also took the opportunity to thank and congratulate PDRM as well as the dedicated frontliners for doing their part to protect the rakyat and contain the spread of COVID-19 whilst acknowledging that it is not an easy undertaking.

He added: “We need to take care of ourselves, our family, our community, our country, and our environment and surroundings. This is so that we can swiftly return to getting back our daily livelihood, economic activities and business with a new conscience, awareness, and behaviour.”

For more info on the previous SEED session, check it out here: Link

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Islamic Tourism Centre (ITC) is an entity under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Malaysia tasked to develop the Islamic tourism (IT) segment for Malaysia. It advocates for Muslim-friendly tourism (MFT) by offering research and market intelligence, training, industry development consultation, Muslim-friendly tourism and hospitality (MFTH) services standards and certification, and information exchange.

In 2021, ITC was named the recipient of the Strategic Business Alliance Award at The BrandLaureate World Halal Best Brand E-Branding Awards 2021. It is a recognition of ITC’s efforts and endeavours in formulating new strategies to meet the new normal of the business environment to ensure business continuity and sustainability, notwithstanding its role to develop and grow the IT segment in Malaysia.

In addition, Malaysia was named top country in the region in the MFT sector by the State of the Global Islamic Economy (SGIE) Report 2020/21. 

Both recognitions are added motivation for ITC to continue to strengthen its efforts in being a prime mover and leading institution to ensure Malaysia is at the forefront of MFTH.

For further details, kindly contact:

Islamic Tourism Centre,
Level 13, Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia
No. 2 Tower 1, Jalan P5/6,
Precinct 5, 62200 Putrajaya, Malaysia

Tel: 03-8891 7177 or via email itc@mymuslimtrip.com/v2