Type C Who Makes Hungry Ghost Offerings Reminded To Tidy Up In The Name Of Civic Consciousness

---

 
MALAYSIANS of Chinese ancestry who carry out hungry ghost festival prayer a.k.a. poh toh in Hokkien should be mindful enough not to leave behind their offerings comprising food items, fruits, joss items, candles, joss sticks and burnt remains of ‘paper money’.
For the uninitiated, the hungry ghost month for 2025 begins on Aug 23 and ends on Sept 21 with Aug 23 marking the first day of the seventh lunar month when the Gates of Hell are believed to open, thus allowing spirits to enter the world of the living.
“To Chinese friends who pray during Hungry Ghost Month, please clean up after yourselves,” lambasted self-proclaimed liberal secularist Annoyed Malaysians  (@annoyedmsian) with reference to a photo of offerings that “blocked two parking slots”.


“Every year the same shit with no civic-mindedness. If wanna leave food overnight, then make sure to clean it first thing in the morning. “
First thing first, at least some Chinese concurred with the poster’s harsh reprimand with one stating that “religion is one thing but please keep the country tidy” while another lamented that “car park lots are so precious in Malaysia”.


While one commenter agreed that the so-called mess should be cleared up the next day, the poster sarcastically insisted that it should be done on that night itself given “the hungry ghosts don’t need whole night to eat”.

Another defended the devotees with photo evidence that “usually everything gets clear up by midnight if it involves pubic areas and by morning if in their own private area”.

This was when one commenter triggered some chuckles for thinking that the devotees would consume “the (food) offerings after prayer”.
“I remember my friends use to rave about how they had delicious roast pork or roast duck the night before,” he recounted only for the poster to explain that the often left behind items are “cheap stuff like biscuits, titbits, buns etc”.

Interestingly, some commenters seized the moment to complain about irresponsible shop owners who “burn firecrackers on the eve of CNY” but “conveniently forget to clean up the mess left behind”.
Another observed that “charred remnants” of firecrackers are also scattered everywhere post-Chap Goh Mei (Hokkien term for the 15th night of the lunar new year) prayers.

The bottom line as shared by one commenter is that even Chinese-dominant Singapore enforces “strict rules for hungry ghost festival offerings on roads to balance tradition with safety”.
“Burning joss paper is restricted to NEA (National Environment Agency)-provided bins to curb air pollution and fire risk, with fines up to S$2,000 for open burning,” he shared.
“Food offerings on roadsides like fruits or rice for wandering spirits must not block paths or attract pests per the Environmental Public Health Act. Clear them quickly to avoid S$1,000 littering fines or S$5,000 for public nuisance.” 

 - Focus Malaysia

---