{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 1771225,
        "msgid": "the-conductors-commands-behind-prabowo-gibrans-cow-slaughter-1780020991",
        "date": "2026-05-29 06:56:25",
        "title": "The 'Conductor's' Commands Behind Prabowo-Gibran's Cow Slaughter",
        "author": "",
        "source": "CNN_ID",
        "tags": "",
        "topic": "Social Policy",
        "summary": "Head slaughterer Nurdin orchestrates the precise handling of sacrificial cows donated by President Prabowo and Vice President Gibran during Eid al-Adha at Istiqlal Mosque, ensuring safety and coordination among his team. With over 30 years of experience, he manages increasingly larger cattle, highlighting a growing demand for ritual slaughter this year. Despite the physical demands, Nurdin remains focused on the spiritual aspect, expressing hope to one day wield the knife himself.",
        "content": "<p>That evening, Nurdin\u2019s face was streaked with blood. Deep red mixed\nwith black clung to his cheeks, temples, and ears. The splatters of\nsacrificial animal blood on his T-shirt, from slaughtering at Istiqlal\nMosque during this year\u2019s Eid al-Adha, had dried by the time he spoke to\njournalists, including CNNIndonesia.com, on Thursday, 28 May. Earlier,\namidst the chaos of the sacrificial slaughter process at Istiqlal\nMosque, Nurdin stood as if he knew exactly where to move. He was not the\none wielding the long knife for slaughtering, yet critical decisions\nrested in his hands. Nurdin is the head slaughterer for Amanah Bersama,\nthe organisation handling this year\u2019s sacrificial animal slaughter at\nIstiqlal. He was also part of the slaughtering team responsible for the\ntwo most prominent sacrificial cows: those donated by President Prabowo\nSubianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka at the mosque. His\nrole is in the restraint team. A simple-sounding title, but the work is\nfar from easy. His task is to ensure the cow is properly positioned\nbefore slaughter. He directs those pulling ropes, holding the body,\nsecuring the legs, and keeping the head still as the knife cuts the\nthroat. For cows weighing over a ton, Nurdin explained, the ropes must\nbe layered. \u2018Big cows need special handling,\u2019 he said while speaking to\njournalists outside the Istiqlal Mosque slaughterhouse. \u2018The ropes on\nthe legs must be doubled up.\u2019 As Si Loreng, President Prabowo\u2019s\nsacrificial cow, was laid on the slaughterhouse floor, Nurdin positioned\nhimself closest to the head. Wearing a brown peci (traditional cap), he\nheld the head firmly, his right hand just inches from the slaughtering\nknife. \u2018If the head moves even slightly, it could hit the hand doing the\ncutting,\u2019 he said. As the first cut hit the neck, blood gushed in all\ndirections\u2014splattering the floor and his clothes\u2014but Nurdin remained\nmotionless. He held the cow\u2019s head tightly while watching the\nslaughterer\u2019s movements, raising his hand to signal a stop. In that\narena, Nurdin was like a conductor. Unlike a concert conductor in a\nblack suit, he stood on the slaughterhouse floor with blood-smeared\nhands. He repeated the same role during the slaughter of Wirabumi, the\ncow donated by Gibran. Once again, he controlled the rhythm, ensuring\nthe legs were securely tied. Moving to the head, Nurdin monitored the\nslaughter process. When the cutting time was right, his hand gesture\nbecame the final command, instantly obeyed. Both cows\u2014from RI 1 and RI\n2\u2014were slaughtered smoothly. Nurdin\u2019s expertise did not come overnight.\nHe has been in this line of work since 1993. Over three decades of\nhandling animal slaughter, he knows exactly how to restrain a cow. \u2018Back\nthen, three people were enough. Now it\u2019s not possible,\u2019 he said with a\nsmall laugh. Cows are now much larger. Five quintals (500kg) used to be\nconsidered big. Now many exceed that. For jumbo cows, at least six\npeople are needed just to control the body. Years of experience are what\nled him to become head slaughterer. This year, Nurdin noticed a surge in\nthe enthusiasm for sacrificial slaughter compared to previous years.\nAmanah Bersama\u2019s team was tasked with handling nearly 500 animals across\nvarious locations, a sharp increase from last year. Despite this, Nurdin\ndid not dwell on earnings. For him, money was not the priority. \u2018We\u2019re\ngrateful as long as we\u2019re safe. Money isn\u2019t the measure,\u2019 he said.\nWithin a slaughtering team, he explained, many roles work together: the\nrestraint team, the slaughterer, the skinning crew, those separating the\nhead, and those removing the legs. All move like a single, well-oiled\nmachine. As evening approached, the blood on Nurdin\u2019s face dried darker,\nsome clinging to his shirt collar. The two main cows had been\nslaughtered. The long day\u2019s work was finally done. At the end of the\nconversation, Nurdin shared a simple hope. One day, if given the chance,\nhe wants to be the main performer\u2014not holding the cow\u2019s head at the\nfront, but wielding the knife himself. \u2018Boss, if next year you\u2019re asked\nto slaughter the President\u2019s cow, would you? Maybe you\u2019re the one to\nslit the throat,\u2019 we journalists asked. \u2018Insha\u2019Allah,\u2019 he replied with a\nsmile.<\/p>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/the-conductors-commands-behind-prabowo-gibrans-cow-slaughter-1780020991",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}