We limit our visitors to 20 people. If under normal conditions, it can be up to 100 people

A number of monasteries in Central Jakarta celebrate and hold Chinese New Year, locally known as Imlek worship processions with strict protocol implementation, on Friday (2/12).

Those monasteries in question are located in Sawah Besar and Hok Tek Ceng, Kampung Bali Urban Village, Tanah Abang. People who come to pray should wear a mask, should pass through body temperature checking, and maintain physical distancing.

The number of visitors is limited to 25 percent of the available capacity. Thus, the activity looks a bit lonely. The time for worship is limited to 3 PM.

"We limit our visitors to 20 people. If under normal conditions, it can be up to 100 people," said one of Dharma Jaya Monastery caretakers.

Central Jakarta Satpol PP Head, Bernard Tambunan expressed, from 28 monasteries and pagoda in Central Jakarta, a few held Imlek worship processions during the pandemic.

Nevertheless he appreciated them for holding Imlek by still implementing health protocols in order to stop the chain of COVID-19 transmissions.

His party also appreciated the monastery and pagoda congregation who did not hold the tradition of sharing angpao with the government for residents with social and community problems (PPKS) who usually crowd in front of the monastery.

"Based on field monitoring, there are no PPKS crowds in the monastery area," he stated.