Still In The COVID-19 Pandemic, Mahfud MD Delays Sungkem To Mother And Prays At Home

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD has again postponed the sungkem tradition with his mother during Eid al-Adha. This happened because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the government implemented an Emergency Community Activity Restriction (PPKM) to prevent transmission of the virus in the community.

"In the atmosphere of the Covid-19 pandemic, we must again postpone sungkem to mothers and celebrate Eid with family as in normal conditions," he said as quoted from his Instagram account @mohmahfudmd, Tuesday, July 20.

In addition to not being able to stay with his mother, Mahfud also performed limited Eid prayers at his official residence. This activity was only attended by families and a number of staff with the implementation of strict health protocols.

"Imam and Khotib are led by members of the TNI from Eastern Indonesia who are also my Walpri, Mas Ali Sirken Fakoubun," he wrote.

Furthermore, Mahfud hopes that the COVID-19 pandemic will soon pass. In addition, he also asked all parties without exception to continue to apply health protocols to prevent the transmission of the virus.

"Hopefully the pandemic will pass quickly, let's keep it together while still complying with health protocols. Hopefully Allah will always protect and provide health for all of us," said the former Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court (MK).

Previously reported, Mahfud had reminded Muslims to adhere to health protocols when celebrating Eid al-Adha. Moreover, this celebration was carried out in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

One of the recommendations reminded by the former Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court is not to congregate, including when carrying out religious activities such as praying.

"Hopefully we don't do crowds. The first crowd should pray in their respective homes according to the fatwa of religious institutions," Mahfud said in a video caption uploaded to the YouTube account of the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, Monday, July 19.

Next, he also reminded the public to follow health protocols when slaughtering sacrificial animals.

This, said Mahfud, must be carried out in order to protect oneself from exposure to COVID-19 in the midst of increasing cases that continue to occur. Moreover, the whole series of activities carried out in the middle of Eid al-Adha aims to get closer to Allah.

"The ritual of slaughtering the sacrifice has a spiritual aspect in the context of taqorrub, getting closer to Allah. Therefore, if conditions limit us from gathering together, let's taqorrub, make sacrifices to get closer to Allah, to be given guidance, given health, and avoided from COVID-19," he said