SIBU: Some celebrants of the ghost festival here had gone overboard by improperly burning “hell notes” and joss sticks along the roadsides and open spaces, thus muddling them and leaving the sites messy.
So, starting next year Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) will issue its guidelines on the burning of “hell notes” and joss sticks along roadsides during the ghost festival.
Its chairman Clarence Ting told this to reporters when met at a mess caused by such activity at an open space adjacent to Palawan traffic light junction on Saturday (Sept 5).
“Like in Kuching, the councils allow people to apply for permits to do this at designated areas. So, I think we should follow that rather than doing it all over the places especially along the sides of main roads,” he said.
“At least if we issue permits, the people will feel that we are giving due recognition to the annual festival.”
