Minister Of Religion Yaqut Bans Community Parades On Religious Holidays, Including The Prophet's Birthday

Minister of Religion (Menag) Yaqut Cholil Qoumas/DOC Private Instagram

JAKARTA - Minister of Religion (Menag) Yaqut Cholil Qoumas forbade people from marching to enliven religious holidays. Including the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad, which will fall on 19 October.

The government has also shifted the commemorative holiday to October 20 as a measure to anticipate the emergence of new cases of COVID-19.

"It is forbidden to conduct parades or processions in commemoration of religious holidays involving large numbers of participants," said the Minister of Religion, Sunday, October 10.

Previously, the Ministry of Religion (Kemenag) officially issued Guidelines for the Implementation of the Commemoration of Religious Holidays During the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic which regulates the activities of the Indonesian people in commemorating religious holidays.

The guidelines are contained in the Circular of the Minister of Religion Number SE 29 of 2021. The circular letter was signed by the Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas on 7 October.

"Our guidelines are published in order to prevent and break the chain of the spread of COVID-19, as well as to provide a sense of security and comfort to the community in organizing the commemoration of the Prophet's Birthday, Christmas, and other religious holidays during the COVID-19 pandemic," Yaqut said.

The Minister of Religion said the implementation guidelines were prepared by taking into account the conditions or status of the regions in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"For level 2 and level 1 regions, for example, the commemoration of religious holidays can be held face-to-face, but with strict adherence to health protocols," said the Minister of Religion.

Meanwhile, for level 4 and level 3 regions, it is recommended that religious holidays be commemorated virtually or online.

In addition, the Ministry of Religion also recommends that event organizers provide a QR Code PeduliLindung. So automatically, the participants who attend must use the PeduliLindung application if they want to enter a house of worship or other place that is used to celebrate religious holidays.

The following are the provisions in the Guidelines for Commemorating Religious Holidays during a Pandemic:

1. Commemoration of Religious Holidays in areas with Level 2 and Level 1 criteria for the spread of COVID-19 can be carried out face-to-face while still adhering to strict health protocols.

2. Commemoration of Religious Holidays in areas with Level 4 and Level 3 criteria for the spread of COVID-19 is recommended to be carried out virtually/online.

3. In the event that regions with Level 4 and Level 3 criteria for the spread of COVID-19 continue to carry out face-to-face Religious Holiday Commemorations, they should:

a. carried out in an open space;

b. if it is held in places of worship (mosques/mushalla, churches, temples, monasteries, temples/litang, and other places that function as places of worship) or other closed spaces, the number of participants present is at most 50 percent (fifty percent) of the room's capacity. or 50 (fifty) people;

c. Participants who attend are prioritized to come from residents of the surrounding area; and

d. the implementation of activities and participants as referred to in letter a, letter b, and letter c, continue to apply health protocols more strictly and have been coordinated with the local COVID-19 Handling Task Force.

4. Organizers of the Commemoration of Religious Holidays must:

a. provide officers to inform and supervise the implementation of the 5M Health Protocol;

b. carry out body temperature checks for each congregation using a body temperature measuring device (thermogun);

c. providing hand sanitizers and facilities for washing hands using soap and running water;

d. provide a backup of medical masks;

e. prohibiting congregations with unhealthy conditions from participating in worship/religious activities;

f. set the distance between congregations at least 1 (one) meter by placing a special mark on the floor, yard, or chair;

g. charity box, infaq, collection bag, or funds are placed in a certain place and not circulated;

h. ensure that there are no crowds before and after the implementation of worship/religious activities by regulating access to and entering the congregation;

i. carry out disinfection at the place of activity;

j. ensure that places of worship or places of worship have good air circulation and sunlight can enter and when using air conditioner (AC) must be cleaned periodically;

k. ensure the implementation of sermons, lectures, or tausiyah must meet the following conditions:

1) preachers, preachers, priests, priests, priests, pedandas, or clergy wear masks and face shields properly and correctly; and

2) preachers, lecturers, priests, priests, priests, pedandas, or clergy remind the congregation to always maintain health and comply with health protocols.

5. Participants of the Commemoration of Religious Holidays must:

a. use masks properly and correctly;

b. maintain hand hygiene by washing hands using running water or using hand sanitizer;

c. keep a distance of at least 1 (one) meter from other congregations;

d. in good health (body temperature below 37 degrees Celsius);

e. not currently in self-isolation;

f. bring their respective worship/religious equipment (prayer mat, mukena, and so on);

g. carry pockets for storing footwear;

h. avoiding physical contact or shaking hands;

i. not just returned from a trip outside the area; and

j. 60 (sixty) years old and over and pregnant/breastfeeding mothers are advised to worship at home.

6. Organizers are encouraged to provide a QR Code PeduliLindung and participants are encouraged to use the PeduliLindung application in houses of worship and other places used to take part in the Commemoration of Religious Holidays.

7. It is forbidden to conduct parades or processions in the context of the Commemoration of Religious Holidays involving a large number of participants.