(AP/Mohammad Hannon)

It’s official: the government says that Ramadhan will start on Saturday, although the nation’s second largest Muslim organization is sticking to its guns, saying that the fasting month begins on Friday.

Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali, speaking at the government’s itsbat, or confirmation, meeting on Thursday night, said that 38 ministry teams dispatched throughout the archipelago were not able to sight the hilal, or the first appearance of the crescent moon, which marks the beginning of the month.

“As rukyat [observation] found no hilal on Thursday, the Ramadhan month will begin on Saturday,” Suryadharma said after the meeting.

According to astronomical calculations, the crescent moon should have appeared after sunset on Thursday. However, the government said that the moon was not visible, which it defined as at least 2 degrees above the horizon.

Muhammadiyah, the nation’s second-largest Muslim organization, uses calendar calculations to fix the start of Ramadhan, and previously announced that the fasting month would begin on Friday.

No Muhammadiyah representatives were present at the government’s itsbat meeting, making good on an earlier promise from chairman Din Syamsuddin.

Meanwhile, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has ordered his ministers to maintain food supplies during Ramadhan, when consumption peaks.

Coordinating Economic Minister Hatta Rajasa was upbeat on the latest reports on food supplies. “The stock that we have can secure demand for staple foods during the Ramadhan month until the Idul Fitri holiday.”

As an example, Hatta said that Bulog, the State Logistics Agency, had a stockpile of 2 million tons of rice. “It’s a really good figure.”

Hatta, however, acknowledged that commodity prices have been rising. “Despite the price increases, we expect to have a sufficiency and availability better than last year.”

Among the items that have become more expensive are eggs, prices of which rose by 13.76 percent compared to last month; chicken meat, up 8.39 percent; chilis, up 8.3 percent; beef, up 3.33 percent; and sugar, up 5.24 percent.

“On a year-on-year basis, the prices are relatively better, with few exceptions, such as beef, chili, and sugar,” Hatta said.

The government previously said it would conduct market interventions to stabilize prices in case of sudden increases in the cost of staple foods.

According to Hatta, Yudhoyono had ordered relevant ministers to prepare transportation ahead of the annual Idul Fitri exodus, when tens of millions make their way back to hometowns across the archipelago.

“This includes easing of vehicle lines at Merak Port,” Hatta said. The port, the principal sea crossing between Java and Sumatra, saw traffic backed up for a staggering 15 kilometers during the school vacation that ended on Monday.

Meanwhile, Yudhoyono announced plans to go on walkabout, intending to hold Cabinet meetings at individual ministries instead of the State Palace during Ramadhan. “I want to directly see how individual ministries work.”

Yudhoyono also said that his speeches during Ramadhan would be timed around the breaking of the fast. “For example, I have proposed that my upcoming speech on the state budget to the House of Representatives be delivered at 8 p.m. so we can be more focused.”

—JP/ Bagus BT Saragih

Popular

RI, Australia strengthen partnership on taxing crypto assets

Analysis: Indonesia denies normalization with Israel to enter OECD

Citroen to produce electric cars in Indonesia