North Sumatra Prepares for 40th Provincial Quran Recitation Competition
Medan (ANTARA) - Acting Regional Secretary of North Sumatra Province, Sulaiman Harahap, has confirmed that all facilities for the 40th Provincial Musabaqah Tilawatil Quran (MTQ) 2026 are ready for use. “All facilities at the competition arena and other supporting infrastructure are ready to be used,” Harahap stated after inspecting the final preparations at Astaka Square in Deli Serdang Regency, North Sumatra, on Monday. The opening ceremony is scheduled for Monday evening and is expected to proceed safely and smoothly.
Harahap, who also serves as Chairman of the North Sumatra Tilawatil Quran Development Institute (LPTQ), paid particular attention to the comfort of participants and visitors. A total of 1,109 participants from 28 regencies and cities across North Sumatra will compete in eight branches with 28 competition categories at the MTQ, held at Astaka Square from 15 to 24 June 2026. In addition to Astaka Square, the event—themed “One Rhythm of Recitation, One Resolve in Collaboration for a Blessed North Sumatra”—will also take place at the Provincial Youth and Sports Office Hall and the North Sumatra State Islamic University (UIN) campus.
“I have asked the committee to ensure adequate public toilet facilities, maintain the cleanliness of supporting facilities, and properly arrange the MSME stands that are enlivening the event,” Harahap said. He also urged the committee to prepare contingency measures to protect participants and invited guests from the recent unpredictable weather. “We cannot predict the weather lately; please anticipate this well at the main venue. We do not want rain to fall as soon as the event starts, causing attendees and invited guests to scramble for shelter,” he stressed.
North Sumatra Governor Bobby Nasution expressed hope that the 40th Provincial MTQ would become a momentum to strengthen the continuous propagation of the Quran. He wants the MTQ to not merely be an annual ceremonial event, but to have a tangible impact on the lives of North Sumatran communities throughout the year. “We do not want the MTQ to be just a ceremonial event, a gubernatorial succession, or merely an annual pageant. The most important thing is that the MTQ truly becomes a means of Quranic propagation in North Sumatra,” Nasution said after inaugurating the LPTQ North Sumatra management for the 2026-2030 period, along with the Supervisory Board and the Panel of Judges for the 40th North Sumatra MTQ at the Governor’s Office on Sunday (14/6). The newly appointed LPTQ North Sumatra officials include Sulaiman Harahap as Chairman, Muhammad Yasir Tanjung as Executive Chairman, Rijal Ahmad Rangkuti as Chairman of the Supervisory Board, and Syaifuddin Hazmi Lubis as Chairman of the Panel of Judges.