Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa Uses Cancelled Hajj Funds for Sacrificial Cow

The celebration of Eid al-Adha 1447 AH was a special occasion for Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa. Amidst his duties managing the nation’s finances, Purbaya demonstrated his humanitarian side by donating sacrificial animals funded from his personal savings. Notably, the funds used to purchase the sacrificial animals were originally allocated for his personal Hajj pilgrimage this year. After the trip was cancelled, Purbaya decided to redirect the money towards charitable acts through the sacrificial ritual. ‘I mean, there’s a bonus. Since the Hajj didn’t happen, we used it here [for sacrifice]. I asked people to buy it in Ciganjur, near my home. Using personal funds,’ Purbaya said after performing Eid prayers at Masjid Salahuddin, the headquarters of the Directorate General of Taxes (DJP) in Jakarta on Wednesday (27/5). This year’s Eid al-Adha saw the Finance Minister sacrifice two cows. One was symbolically handed over to the sacrificial committee at the DJP’s Masjid Salahuddin for distribution to the local community around the tax headquarters. The other was sacrificed at his private residence in Ciganjur, South Jakarta. In his speech, Purbaya emphasised that Eid al-Adha is not merely an annual ritual but a critical opportunity to strengthen social compassion. He also linked the value of sacrifice to professional responsibilities in managing the State Budget (APBN). ‘The values of sacrifice and social compassion must underpin APBN management to ensure benefits reach the wider population, especially vulnerable groups. The sacrificial animals we distributed today symbolise our commitment to sharing,’ he stressed. The spirit of sacrifice also spread throughout the Ministry of Finance. According to data from the Central Finance Ministry sacrificial committee, hundreds of animals were collected through voluntary contributions from staff across various level-I units nationwide. The distribution of all sacrificial meat will be targeted through collaboration with official zakat institutions and local mosque management. Priority is given to residents near Finance Ministry offices and underprivileged communities. ‘May this year’s sacrificial ritual be accepted by Allah SWT, and become a blessing and motivation for us all to continue giving our best for Indonesia,’ Purbaya concluded. (Z-1)