Bogor Mayor Bima Arya Asks Residents To Pray Eid At The Mosque In Residential Environment

BOGOR - Bogor Mayor Bima Arya asked the community to carry out Eid prayers at mosques in their respective neighborhoods. The Eid Prayers are asked to be held by implementing strict health protocols.

"Meanwhile, the Eid prayers at the Bogor City level which were held by Forkopimda (communication forum for regional leaders) in an open place like in previous years were not held this year," said Bima Arya, in Bogor City, as quoted by Antara, Monday, May 3.

According to him, the Eid prayer at the Bogor City level which was held by Forkopimda as in previous years was held in an open place, namely at the Bogor Botanical Gardens, this year it was not carried out with the consideration of avoiding crowds of people.

"If there is a large crowd, then the potential for COVID-19 transmission will occur. This risk must be avoided," he said.

Based on the Circular of the Minister of Religion of the Republic of Indonesia Number 03 of 2021 concerning Guidelines for Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr 1442 Hijriyah, stipulates that Eid prayers may be carried out in residential areas, with strict application of health protocols.

"However, in certain locations, the COVID-19 Handling Task Force can issue a special policy to anticipate the emergence of a spike in new COVID-19 cases," he said.

Therefore, Bima said, at the coordination meeting of the Bogor City COVID-19 Task Force, last week, it was agreed that the implementation of Eid prayers at the Bogor City level this year would be eliminated.

For mosques in residential areas, he said, mosque managers must prepare places of prayer that are spaced apart and their capacity is only 50 percent.

"Pilgrims who are present to pray at the mosque must also wear masks and bring their own prayer rugs," he said.

Bima emphasized that the tightening of health protocols was aimed at suppressing the transmission of COVID-19 during the month of Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr so that there would be no spike in new cases of COVID-19.