Not Only Friday Prayers, Other Religious Worship Activities Are Also Limited In Jakarta Due To The COVID-19 Pandemic

Press Conference of the Governor of DKI Jakarta Anies Baswedan and his staff (Photo: Public Relations of DKI Jakarta Provincial Government)

JAKARTA - DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan has tightened restrictions on community interaction to prevent the corona virus or COVID-19 pandemic. Not only do they stop Friday prayers in congregation at mosques, all religious activities are also restricted in Jakarta.

This halt of worship activities will last for two weeks. This has been agreed upon with a number of religious leaders, namely from the DKI Jakarta MUI, the DKI Indonesian Mosque Council (DMI), the Indonesian Church Association (PGI) DKI, the Jakarta Archdiocese, Jakarta's Parisada Hindu Dharma Indonesia (PHDI), and Indonesian Buddhist Representatives ( Walubi) DKI.

"We agree that the religious activities held together in houses of worship should be postponed until conditions allow," said Anies at the City Hall of DKI, Central Jakarta, Thursday, March 19.

The previous week, Anies still appealed to Muslims who wanted to pray on Friday to bring their respective prostration tools. Starting today, he asked all mosques in Jakarta to close their Friday congregational prayers.

In response, the Chairman of DMI DKI Makmun Al Ayyubi called for the mosque management in Jakarta to eliminate activities that present a large number of congregations, including Friday prayer activities at mosques.

"To our fellow preachers, we also hope for good cooperation. It does not mean that we do not carry out Friday prayers, but we change the Friday Prayers to become Zuhr prayers at the houses of each congregation with our families," said Makmun.

Furthermore, the Head of PGI DKI Manuel Raintung also agreed to stop Christian worship activities in the church for the next two weeks.

"We really hope that the leaders of the Synod churches in Jakarta, especially classist leaders, district leaders, regional representative agencies for service meetings at the DKI level can make efforts to help Jakarta, help Indonesia, help the world experience safety, freed from the COVID-19 outbreak. this, "explained Manuel.

Likewise, the Deputy of the DKI Archdiocese also asked Catholics to carry out their prayers and prayers at their respective homes. With this activity in the house, it is hoped that it can reduce the spread of the corona virus.

He added, DKI PHDI official, I Nengah Dharma, said that Hindus in Jakarta will still carry out a series of Nyepi Day worship on March 22. However, this activity is limited to the Segara Cilincing Temple, North Jakarta and the visitors are limited to around 10 people.

Then, at the Tawur Agung activity on March 24, the activities were limited to Pura Aditya Jaya, Rawamangun, East Jakarta. This activity is also limited to about 10 to 15 people to carry out Tawur Agung Kesanga.

"To coincide with Nyepi day, we are all at home. With the virus that has spread so widely, we will obey our teachings to only implement seclusion at home," said I Nengah.

So it is with Buddhists. The Jakarta Walubi administrator, Liem, also followed Anies's call to hold a service in their respective homes until the virus outbreak that originated in the city of Wuhan, China subsided.