Ministers AHY and Iftitah Join Lo Hei Tradition for Lunar New Year Celebrations in Batam
Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development (IPK), Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY), was seen participating in the Lo Hei tradition, a hallmark of Lunar New Year celebrations. He was not alone. Transmigration Minister Muhammad Iftitah Sulaiman also took part in the tradition.
AHY said he was impressed by the Lunar New Year celebration events in Batam, Riau Islands.
“We continue to rejoice because this is such a warm expression. Imlek is now celebrated everywhere, across all of Indonesia, because we are one united nation,” said AHY at Swiss-Belhotel Harbour Bay, Batam, on Monday evening (16/2/2026).
After delivering his remarks, AHY then participated in the Lo Hei tradition. This tradition is an important part of Lunar New Year celebrations each year, particularly in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. The process of mixing various dishes symbolises hopes for glory and prosperity.
AHY, together with Transmigration Minister Iftitah and other officials, stood in a circle around a round table on stage. On the table, a dish called yusheng had been prepared — a salad consisting of various ingredients.
One of the signature ingredients in yusheng is slices of raw salmon. AHY, Transmigration Minister Iftitah, and other invited guests participated in tossing and mixing all the ingredients. This process marked the climax of the Lo Hei tradition before continuing with a dinner gathering.
On that occasion, AHY also enjoyed a five-course meal, including appetisers and dessert. As the main course, the Democratic Party chairman dined on a chicken dish alongside the Chinese-Indonesian community in Batam.
Glodok Chinatown Bustling Ahead of Lunar New Year
Ahead of the 2026 Lunar New Year celebrations, the Glodok Chinatown area in West Jakarta appeared increasingly busy. From morning until night, market lanes were packed with residents, particularly those of Chinese descent, hunting for necessities to celebrate Imlek with their families.
Glodok once again became a magnet for the public. Red and gold colours dominated the stalls of seasonal vendors selling Lunar New Year accessories for the Year of the Fire Horse. Lanterns hung everywhere, red envelopes were neatly arranged, and horse zodiac decorations adorned nearly every corner.
For vendors, the Lunar New Year period always brings hope. Rahman, a seasonal vendor, said he could earn up to hundreds of thousands of rupiah per day. He sold various decorations, from lanterns and red envelopes to table ornaments shaped like waving cats and wall stickers featuring the horse zodiac.
“When it’s busy, it’s quite good. I can make hundreds of thousands a day,” said Rahman while serving buyers on Sunday (15/2/2026).
Lunar New Year accessories in the Glodok area were priced diversely. Red envelopes were sold in packets of six, priced from Rp10,000 to Rp45,000, depending on design and material.
Paper lanterns without batteries were priced between Rp20,000 and Rp35,000, depending on size and quality. Meanwhile, mini cat figurines with moving arms were sold at Rp45,000 each.
For medium-sized hanging lanterns already equipped with lights and batteries, the price was set at around Rp50,000. Acrylic lanterns with long cables that can be wound around were sold at higher prices, ranging from Rp150,000 to Rp250,000.
Another vendor, Samuel, also experienced increased sales. He said the temporary market, open from early January to 16 February, greatly helped his family’s economy. Approaching Lunar New Year, his earnings nearly reached Rp1 million per day.
“Yes, almost,” he said briefly.
Samuel sold various Lunar New Year decorations, from red envelopes and lanterns to door decorations. Standard red envelopes with red and gold Mandarin script were sold at Rp15,000 per pack of six.
However, for the special horse zodiac edition, he charged a higher price of Rp10,000 per piece.
Meanwhile, door decorations with red strings were sold starting from Rp15,000 for simple designs. For models with additional ceramic accessories, prices could reach Rp65,000.