Golkar Confused, Jabodetabek Government Ban Pilgrimage But Tourist Attractions Opened

ILLUSTRATION/PHOTO VIA ANTARA

JAKARTA - Members of the House of Representatives from Golkar Faction, Dedi Mulyadi said he was confused over the decision of the local government in Jabodetabek to ban pilgrimage activities during the Eid al-Fitr holiday this year.

Dedi wondered, if the cemetery is closed for pilgrimage to reduce the rate of spread of COVID-19, why tourist attractions are still allowed to operate during the Eid al-Fitr 1442 H holiday.

"Today I was confused by a policy. Tourist attractions are open, but grave pilgrimages are prohibited. In fact, grave pilgrimage has become part of the tradition of the Indonesian people in Eid al-Fitr", Dedi told reporters, Friday, May 14.

The former Regent of Purwakarta considered that the risk of causing crowds to potentially become a cluster of COVID-19 transmission is a tourist attraction rather than a cemetery.

"From experience, I've never seen people crammed into the cemetery area for pilgrimage", he said.

Moreover, according to him, if the reason the government still allows tourist attractions to be opened to restore the economy, then pilgrimage in public cemeteries (TPU) can also be used as tourist activities.

"Can grave pilgrimage be a grave pilgrimage tour? Whether it enters the tour also because it can be called religious tourism", said Dedi.

Governor of DKI Jakarta Anies Baswedan previously gathered regional heads in Jabodetabek, in a coordination meeting on controlling activities during the Eid al-Fitr 1442 Hijri season.

As a result, the government agreed to close the TPU in Jabodetabek for grave pilgrimage during the Eid holidays. TPU is closed for pilgrimage from May 12 to 16, 2021 to minimize crowds. Even so, funeral processions at TPU can still be done.

However, several TPU in Jakarta such as Tegal Alur TPU, Malacca, to Tanah Kusir TPU is still visited by residents. Many residents forced their way in for pilgrimages and overwhelmed officers. Finally, the government and police increased the number of guard personnel.