Presidential Qurbani Funded by State Budget Long Established Practice

The use of state budget for President Prabowo Subianto’s Qurbani animals has recently attracted scrutiny. In response, Deputy Chairman of DPR Commission XIII Sugiat Santoso stated that this practice is not new in Indonesia’s government.

Sugiat explained that using state funds for social and community activities is a routine procedure for a head of state. “This is normal in state affairs. The President, as head of state, indeed has a budget allocated to assist the public,” he said in Jakarta on Wednesday (27/6).

He added that the President’s Qurbani distribution has been consistently implemented since previous administrations, not limited to President Prabowo’s term. The initiative significantly benefits thousands of citizens during Iduladha celebrations.

Beyond religious social activities, Sugiat emphasised that the President’s budget allocation has long been directed towards vital public sectors. “It’s not just Qurbani. Presidential aid also supports education, healthcare, and public facilities. So, don’t view this as something new,” he said.

For the 1447 Hijriah Iduladha celebrations, President Prabowo distributed 1,098 premium local cattle weighing between 800kg and 1.3 tonnes. The cattle were distributed to 552 regions and Islamic boarding schools (pesantren), including 10 cattle weighing over 800kg for Papua sourced from local breeders. Breeds included Simmental, Limousin, Ongole crossbreeds, Brahmana, Angus, Bali cattle, Friesian Holstein, Belgian Blue, and Charolais, according to Deputy Minister of State Secretariat Juri Ardiantoro.

Funding for the Qurbani cattle came from the President’s social assistance budget under the state budget (APBN), totalling Rp100 billion. Prices were determined flexibly based on weight and distribution locations across Indonesia.

The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) confirmed that the President’s purchase of sacrificial animals using state funds is legally permissible under Islamic law.