Hundreds of beggars crowd mosques

JAKARTA: During Idul Fitri celebrations over the past two days, hundreds of beggars flocked to mosques across the city, expecting alms from people who had just finished praying.

Most of them came to the big mosques, such as Istiqlal, Dewan Dakwah, Cut Mutia and Sunda Kelapa in Central Jakarta, Al Azhar in South Jakarta and At Tien (Taman Mini) in East Jakarta.

The beggars, from children to the elderly, also massed on the roads surrounding the mosques, as witnessed at Al Azhar, where they asked for alms from passersby and motorists.

Antara reported that when the people left the mosques, the beggars were seen counting their alms and waiting for public buses or pick-up cars to go beg elsewhere.

Many of them looked happy as they held banknotes of Rp 1,000 and Rp 5,000, which were rarely given to beggars.

At Istiqlal Mosque the beggars gathered at several spots along the road near the mosque, which happens to be adjacent to the Catholic Cathedral Church.

As the first day of Idul Fitri celebrations happened to be on Sunday when Christians were worshiping, the beggars also flocked around the cathedral.

The scene is a repeat of previous years' Idul Fitri celebrations when people were generous in giving donations to the poor.--JP