30 Mosque Caretakers Departed by City Government

Jakarta Provincial Government sends 30 mosque caretakers (marbot) to go umrah for nine days. According to the schedule, they will depart to Mecca on Thursday (12/18) and accompanied by three officers.

We wish to hold it every year

“We were planning to send mosque caretakers to go hajj. But because to get the quota is long, we chose to send them to go umrah,” stated Jakarta Governor Basuki ‘Ahok’ Tjahaja Purnama after sending off 30 mosque caretakers, at City Hall, Tuesday (12/16).

According to member of Jakarta Branch Indonesia Mosque Council, Agus Sofyan, these mosque caretakers, whose age is 30 years old above, have gone through selection process. They have met the requirements like serving for 10 years, mastering 10 surahs of the Holy Qur’an, and can replacing the imam.

City to Send 30 Mosque Keepers for Umroh This Year

“The selection process started since November at the office of Islamic Center Mosque Council (DMI). We have sub-district DMI which then recommended four candidates. The candidates were then selected in municipality level then in city level,” he explained.

For information, currently there are 3,145 mosque caretakers guarding about 3,000 mosques. From that amount, 50-60 mosque caretakers would be departed for umrah next year. This program is expected would strengthen the relationships between city government, mosque council, and mosque caretakers.

Suweha, caretaker of Babu Toyib Mosque at North Jakarta, expressed his gratitude to Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama for sending him off for umrah. He hopes this program would continue.

“Now, the work as mosque caretaker is no longer a low job, but a grand and glorious job. This is because not only we are being sent to go umrah, we can also speak in front of the governor. But, there are still thousands of mosque caretakers still waiting the turn. We hope this program could always be continued,” he uttered.

Meanwhile, Indonesian Islamic Council President, Arman Zakaria, said that Ahok’s effort is a good example on the importance to respect difference and uphold Bhineka Tunggal Ika. This number one man in Jakarta is also assessed has given attention to religious sector which is as important as physical development.

“We also support governor’s plan to free the residents’ lands around the mosques to widen this worship place,” he told.