Devotees return to Waterloo St temple after temporary closure

Long queues of devotees waited in an orderly manner to enter Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple in Waterloo Street yesterday to seek blessings for Chinese New Year, after it reopened following three days of closure to prevent crowding.

For the safety of devotees, the temple temporarily closed on Chinese New Year's Eve last Thursday after about 5,000 people turned up to pay their respects and offer incense in the annual tradition.

Yesterday, hundreds of devotees were seen observing safe distancing throughout the day after the temple reopened at 7am. They waited for up to 30 minutes to enter the temple.

When The Straits Times visited the popular temple for devotees of Guan Yin, the Chinese Goddess of Mercy, in the afternoon, there were 500 people in the orderly queue waiting to enter.

The crowds had dwindled from the thousands who stood in line in the morning, as reported earlier by Chinese-language newspaper Shin Min Daily News. Certis officers reminded those in the queue to stand 1m apart from one another. Those entering the temple had to check in using SafeEntry or the TraceTogether token.

Even as thunder rumbled in the distance and the skies darkened, devotees stayed in the queue as they wanted to honour the tradition of offering prayers during Chinese New Year.

While Covid-19 was on the minds of some, they were reassured by the safe management measures in place.

Retiree Andrew Teo, 72, who has been visiting the temple for 40 years, said: "Every time I come and pray, the Goddess will answer my prayers."

Mr Bill Dam, 42, was there with his 10-year-old son and 76-year-old mother to make offerings. The senior manager at a printing company had taken leave from work to visit the temple.

"We usually go on the second day of Chinese New Year. Every year, we want to have a good beginning," said Mr Dam.

Although he was confident that other devotees were adhering to the safe management measures, Mr Dam asked his elderly mother to sit down and wait until it was their turn to enter as an additional precaution.

Another devotee, who wanted to be known only as Ms Ng, was not worried as only 50 people are allowed to be in the temple at any point in time.

Infectious diseases expert Leong Hoe Nam from Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital said the risk of transmission is low if safe distancing is observed and people wear their masks properly.

But he cautioned: "Any zealous group gathering can be the site for a super-spreader event. Crowds are an invitation for the virus to infect many at the same time."

The Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple opens from Monday to Friday, from 7am to 6.30pm, with the last entry at 6.15pm.

Yesterday, Ms Karen Liew, 36, and Mr Justin Yee, 39, were too late to join the queue and so prayed outside the temple instead.

Ms Liew, a graphic designer, is five months pregnant.

Mr Yee, who works in multimedia design, said: "Last year, we went to Guan Yin and asked her to give us a child. We passed by and decided to just thank her."

Ms Liew added: "Even if we can't enter, she will see our sincerity."