Minister Of Religion: Homecoming Is Sunnah, Do Not Abort, Which Is Mandatory, Namely Maintaining Health

Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas (Photo: kemenag.go.id)

JAKARTA - The Minister of Religion, Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, reminded the public not to go home in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, he said that the tradition that is carried out during the Eid Al-Fitr is Sunnah and is not obligatory to be carried out as well as maintaining health.

"Homecoming is at best a sunnah while maintaining a healthy body, maintaining family health, maintaining environmental health are mandatory. So don't let those who are obliged to be aborted by the sunnah," said Yaqut in a press conference broadcast on the YouTube account of the Presidential Secretariat, Monday, April 19.

"Chasing the sunnah and abandoning what is obligatory is not in the demands of religion," he added.

He then emphasized that the ban on going home was solely because the government wanted to protect the community in the midst of a pandemic. So, there hasn't been any change from the government regarding this policy.

"So until now, until the previous meeting with the President, the ministers, the TNI Commander and the Chief of Police, going home is prohibited," he said.

Previously, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) banned all people, without exception, going home on the Eid Al-Fitr 2021 holiday for the sake of family safety. There are a number of reasons why this ban was imposed by the government, including the frequent increase in the number of COVID-19 cases during long holidays.

Through a video with a duration of less than seven minutes, the former Governor of DKI Jakarta understands that people miss their families in their hometowns, especially during the momentum of Eid Al-Fitr. However, the ban on going home is stipulated for the sake of mutual safety, including those in the village.

"I understand we miss our relatives at a time like this, especially in Eid. But let's prioritize safety together without going back to our hometowns," said Jokowi in a video uploaded to the Presidential Secretariat YouTube account, Friday, April 16.

He then explained a number of reasons why the government finally decided to ban homecoming. One of them is the experience of a long holiday which is a momentum to increase COVID-19 cases in Indonesia.

According to the data read by Jokowi, there were at least four long holidays that significantly affected the addition of COVID-19 cases. First, was during the Eid Al-Fitr holiday last year, where there was an increase in daily cases of up to 93 percent and cases of death by 66 percent.

"The second increase in COVID cases occurred during the long holiday on August 20-23, 2020. Which resulted in an increase of up to 119 percent and the weekly death rate to increase by 57 percent," he said.

Next, the long holidays from 28 October to 1 November 2020 also contributed to an increase in COVID-19 cases by 95 percent and an increase in the weekly death rate of up to 75 percent.

"Finally, fourthly, there was an increase during holidays at the end of December 24 to January 3, 2021 resulting in an increase in daily cases reaching 78 percent and an increase in weekly deaths of up to 46 percent," Jokowi explained.

In addition, the government has issued a ban on going home to protect the trend of active cases in Indonesia which has been declining over the past two months. "(Active cases, red) decreased from 176,672 cases on February 5, 2021 and on April 15, 2021 to 108,032 cases," he said.

Likewise with daily cases which are now decreasing and the recovery trend is increasing. "If 1 March 2021 as many as 1,151,915 recovered or 85.88 percent of the total cases, in 15 April it will increase to 1,438,254 patients recovered or reach 90.5 percent of total cases," said the former Mayor of Solo.

With these positive results, the government is trying to maintain this momentum. "For this reason, this time the government has decided to prohibit homecoming for ASN, TNI and Polri, BUMN employees, private employees and all people," he said.