BENGKULU: The Religious Affairs Ministryâs office in Bengkulu has called on clerics in the province to raise issues regarding the upcoming local elections when delivering sermons before tarawih (extra prayer services during Ramadhan) in local mosques
ENGKULU: The Religious Affairs Ministry's office in Bengkulu has called on clerics in the province to raise issues regarding the upcoming local elections when delivering sermons before tarawih (extra prayer services during Ramadhan) in local mosques.
'We have set local elections as the topic for tarawih sermons [in local mosques] to help residents prepare for the upcoming event,' the agency's spokesperson, Ramlan A. Karim, said on Friday, as quoted by Antara news agency.
In a bid to save time and money, the government has scheduled concurrent local elections this year in 269 provinces, regencies and municipalities, or half of the total number in the country, making it the first time in Indonesia's history that citizens in hundreds of regions will elect their governors, regents and mayors concurrently.
On Dec. 9, residents in Bengkulu will cast their vote in a gubernatorial election and regional elections for eight regencies, namely North Bengkulu, Mukomuko, Seluma, Lebong, Rejanglebong, Kepahiang, South Bengkulu and Kaur.
The sermons, said Ramlan, were aimed at urging the community to use their voting rights and not be provoked by political friction ahead the local elections.
'We hope the community will be more prepared and able to participate in the elections,' he added.
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