It was 10 a.m. at the IRTI parking lot at the National Monument (Monas) compound, Central Jakarta, and hundreds of people from across the city were standing in what was already a very long line.

They were there to change money into smaller denominations to be given as Idul Fitri gifts to their young relatives.

A retired teacher, Soerjadi, who had traveled all the way from his house in Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta, said on Wednesday that he had prepared Rp 2 million (US$140) of his pension to be changed into small, new bills.

He said he would give the money to his grandchildren, as well as young visitors to his house, during the Idul Fitri holiday, which will fall on June 15 and 16 this year.

It had been a long-standing tradition in his family, he said. “Not a single holiday has passed without giving money to the kids,” said the 73-year-old man.

His four grandchildren, who live in Jakarta, Bekasi in West Java and Madiun in East Java, pay a visit to his house every Idul Fitri, along with their respective parents.

Money in small denominations — starting from Rp 1,000 to Rp 20,000 — is usually given to children as gifts for having successfully fasted during the holy month of Ramadhan.

“Kids love the new money, which is fresh from the oven,” Soerjadi said.

A couple from Jatinegara in East Jakarta, Romeo Lose and Vivin Heriayani, were also among the hundreds of people willing to wait in line to receive the new money. They said they planned to take the money to their hometown of Lumajang, East Java.

Romeo said he was going to have a party during the Idul Fitri holiday in Lumajang, and that all his relatives would attend.

“That’s when we’ll give the money to our nieces and nephews. There are lots of them, I cannot even recall how many,” said the 33-year-old man who works as a clothing merchant.

Romeo and Vivin had set aside Rp 3 million to be changed into small bills, between Rp 5,000 and Rp 10,000. The couple said they had maintained the tradition for years, since they first began earning their own income.

The tradition of giving small denominations of money as gifts to children actually dates back to before the 9th century, when Islam first arrived in Indonesia.

Historian and Islamic scholar Azyumardi Azra told The Jakarta Post that the tradition was native to Indonesia, “and shares commonalities with the Chinese tradition of giving angpao [red envelopes containing money]”. Angpao is usually given during holidays or special occasions, including the Chinese New Year, known in Indonesia as Imlek.

Azyumardi added that the tradition fist emerged in Indonesia in Minangkabau, a region and ethnic group in West Sumatra. The tradition was then spread across the archipelago by Minangkabau migrants. Many Minangkabau people, especially men, leave the Minangkabau highlands to reach maturity and attain success.

The money-changing service is being provided by Bank Indonesia (BI), in cooperation with 15 lenders including state-owned lender Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI) and Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI) as well as private lenders Bank Central Asia (BCA) and CIMB Niaga. The service will run from May 21 to June 5. Each person can exchange a maximum of Rp 3.7 million.

BI deputy governor Rosmaya Hadi said the central bank had prepared Rp 188.2 trillion in fresh bank notes ahead of Idul Fitri.

“Around 22.8 percent of the money will be provided for residents in Greater Jakarta,” Rosmaya said, adding that a similar service would be offered on some islands of Thousand Islands regency from May 24 to 28, namely Tidung, Pramuka, Untung Jawa, Pari and Panggang Islands.

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