Eid al-Fitr offers momentum to bolster country's solidarity: Puan Maharani

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Eid al-Fitr offers the right momentum to fortify the nation’s solidarity by helping one another, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to House of Representatives’ speaker Puan Maharani.

Maharani also urged people to celebrate Eid al-Fitr this year to forgive one another and share happiness with people.

"Let us celebrate Eid al-Fitr by sharing happiness with brothers and sisters around us, especially with them hit hard by the pandemic," the speaker wrote in a press release here on Wednesday.

Maharani made the statement after the government’s announcement that 1 Syawal, or the first day of Eid al-Fitr, will fall on Thursday, May 13, according to the isbat, or confirmation meeting, chaired by Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas at the Religious Affairs Ministry here on Tuesday (May 11).

Eid al-Fitr this time is the second year that Muslims in Indonesia will celebrate amid the COVID-19 pandemic, she pointed out.

Despite some restrictions in the new normal era, Eid al-Fitr is still sacrosanct and full of blessings, according to Maharani.

The speaker additionally called on Muslims to offer obligatory alms, called zakat fitrah, to demonstrate social solidarity.

“All becomes social capital to work together in bringing about recovery in the social-economic sectors hugely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic,” she highlighted.

Maharani, a politician of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), is optimistic that the public will steer clear from partaking in the homecoming exodus for the common good of containing the transmission of COVID-19.

Although people are unable to participate in the homecoming exodus, they still nonetheless maintain relations with their families at home virtually through the use of technology, she emphasized.

“We maintain relationships, forgive each other as people of our nation, and continue to follow the health protocols,” Maharani affirmed.
Baca juga: Video calls forecast to dominate internet traffic during Eid al-Fitr holiday
Baca juga: Indonesian Police turn back 23,573 vehicles on first day of the Eid-al-Fitr homecoming ban