The symbolic handover was carried out by the ministry's secretary general, Kamaruddin Amin, to representatives of distribution partner institutions, including Muhammadiyah, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), GP Ansor, the Indonesian Mosque Council (DMI), Istiqlal Mosque, and the House of Representatives (DPR).
"These dates are a grant from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the Indonesian people. The Ministry of Religious Affairs then distributes them proportionally to various entities in Indonesian society, including Istiqlal Mosque and other mosques," Amin informed on Friday.
He said that the dates are intended for the community, without special criteria.
"By God's willing the distribution will be right on target because everyone has the right to benefit from this assistance," he added.
According to Amin, the dates will be distributed through a pick-up system, where recipients come directly to a designated location to collect the assistance.
"We do not deliver it directly to each recipient's address," he added.
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He expressed the hope that the assistance will bring blessings and help prepare for welcoming Ramadan.
"Dates are one of the foods recommended by the Prophet Muhammad Shalallahu Alaihi Wasalam (SAW) to be consumed, especially when breaking the fast. Therefore, the delivery is carried out before Ramadan for the people to enjoy it," Amin explained.
Meanwhile, DMI representative Didi Cahyadi said that his party will distribute dates through the DMI central office to regional offices and then to mosques in each region.
The DPR is also one of the distribution partners and will distribute the dates through Aspiration Houses located in the electoral districts of each member.
"We have an Aspiration House. Representatives from the community can come directly to pick up dates," an expert staff with the DPR's Commission VIII, Afrizal Hutapea, informed.
In addition, a representative from the partnership section of PP Muhammadiyah, Fahrul, disclosed that the date assistance will be distributed through Muhammadiyah administrators in each region and branch across Indonesia.
Meanwhile, NU will distribute the dates through Lazis NU (NU Alms Institution). The dates will be distributed to all partners and residents in Indonesia.
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Translator: Asep Firmansyah, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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