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Tolerance and mutual respect a must during Ramadhan: Religious affairs minister
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Kompas TV footage shows a woman named Saeni crying as she begs Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) personnel to not impound the food that is her only source of livelihood. (Courtesy of Kompas TV/-)
T
he government is calling for tolerance and mutual respect between all religious communities during Ramadhan following raids of food stalls by the Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) in Serang, Banten over the weekend.
Those who do not fast must respect those who fast and vice versa, Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Saifuddin said on Monday.
"During Ramadhan, the holy month, we must reinforce and strengthen our tolerance, not only among the Ukhuwah Islamiyah [Islamic brotherhood], but also the Ukhuwah Wathaniyah [brotherhood of the nation]," he told journalists at the State Palace.
He was responding to news footage broadcast by Kompas TV showing Satpol PP officials confiscating all the food from a stall owned by a woman named Saeni at midday on Friday in Serang, as the food preparation was considered "an act of crime". The footage of the woman crying and begging for the officials not to impound her source of income went viral, inviting protests from citizens over the arrogance of the officials and their lack of tolerance.
Lukman said he regretted the incident, calling on officials to conduct their jobs in more humane ways and to take more persuasive approaches.
The incident had incited netizens to launch a movement called #StandupSerang to which people could donate money to Saeni, which resulted in more than Rp 265 million ($19,917) being collected on Saturday and Sunday. (rin)
