Sacrifice Law Amid PMK Threat, Minister Of Yaqut: Sunnah Muakkad, Recommended Not Compulsory

Illustration of the distribution of sacrificial animals to welcome Eid. (Antaranews)

JAKARTA - Minister of Religion (Menag) Yaqut Cholil Qoumas said slaughtering sacrificial animals to welcome Eid in the midst of an epidemic of mouth and nail disease (PMK). It is recommended so it is not mandatory. This means that if under certain conditions this sacrifice cannot be carried out, then we cannot force it, other alternatives will be sought, of course," Yaqut said after an internal meeting at the Bogor Presidential Palace, West Java, Thursday, June 23.

Yaqut said, ahead of Eid al-Adha in early July 2022, the need for livestock, especially cattle and goats, will increase.

However, because currently there is an outbreak of FMD in Indonesia, the Ministry of Religion will issue a new regulation regarding animal sacrifice during the FMD outbreak.

The Minister of Religion will also coordinate with religious community organizations to jointly convey to the public that the law of sacrifice is not mandatory.

"In one or two days we will immediately coordinate with Islamic organizations so that they can be conveyed to the public, to the public what is the law of sacrifice and how to sacrifice in a situation like now where the FMD epidemic is infecting Indonesia," he said.

The Ministry of Religion will also follow the rules of the PMK Handling Task Force led by the Head of BNPB Suharyanto. The PMK Handling Task Force is a new organization formed by President Joko Widodo (Jokowi).

In addition, to overcome the FMD outbreak, the government will also procure up to 29 million doses of FMD vaccine in 2022 with a budget sourced from the Covid-19 Handling Committee and National Economic Recovery (KPCPEN).

On the same occasion, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto explained that the government would prohibit the movement of livestock in 1,765 sub-districts which are included in the "red area" for mouth and nail disease (PMK).

Currently, there are 1,765 sub-districts that are included in the “red area” for livestock PMK or 38 percent of the total 4,614 sub-districts.

"There will be a ban from live animals in this case cows from moving. It's at the sub-district level that is affected rather than nail mouth disease or what we call the 'red area'," said Airlangga.