Ramadhan welcomed amid monetary crisis

Ramadhan welcomed amid monetary crisis

Ramadhan began at the most inopportune time. Escalating prices
have dampened the joy that normally comes with the arrival of
Ramadhan. The Jakarta Post reporters -- Lukman Natanegara, K.
Basrie, Primastuti Handayani, Sugianto Tandra, Johannes Simbolon,
Ida Indawati Khouw, Yogita Tahil Ramani, Sylvia Gratia and IGGP
Bayu Ismoyo -- look at how people are spending Ramadhan in this
time of crisis. Related stories are on Page 11.

JAKARTA (JP): Marhaban yaa Ramadhan... Welcome Ramadhan. The
ritual month of fasting arrived on Dec. 31. Once again, Moslems
greet the holy month with joy.

Ramadhan means a full month of fasting and praying, without
reducing one's routine activities. It means helping others and
donating part, a small part, of our wealth to the less-fortunate.

Moslems fast from dawn to dusk throughout the ninth month of
the Islamic calendar, abstaining from drinking, smoking and
sexual relations, to purify the body and soul.

Every year, aside from the usual norms, Ramadhan usually takes
on a new meaning for Indonesian Moslems.

But this year, Ramadhan will be different for Indonesians
because the country is facing its worst economic crisis in 30
years, and by the look of things, the downturn is likely to
continue this year.

State Minister of Environment Sarwono Kusumaatmadja said many
people are experiencing a different Ramadhan this year.

He empathized with workers who have been laid off by companies
affected by the crisis, or those who have found it harder to find
jobs because of the economic slowdown.

"Just imagine. You've been fired, Idul Fitri is drawing
closer, you want to return to your hometown (mudik). How do you
do it? Won't you get mad?" he said. "I'm sad to see this."

Sarwono said it would be hard to see the unemployed,
especially those who have been laid off recently, practicing
traditions such as taking money to their home villages the way
they used to during the economic boom years of the past decade.

The minister noted that the government has decided to set up
labor-intensive projects and crash programs in big cities which
should bring employment for some of these people.

One of the most visible projects currently conducted in
Jakarta is the Rp 300 billion (US$58.8 million) canal-dredging
public works project, he said.

"Another thing that saddens me is when I see their faces
almost spellbound by the economic crisis.

"Most of them don't know who or what has caused all this
misery. They are innocent, yet they have to bear the brunt,"
Sarwono said, expressing his grief.

Prices

The economic downturn, while hard on the poor, has affected
virtually every one. Many families in Jakarta said they had cut
back on spending for food.

Traditionally, Ramadhan is also a time for people to express
their joy by spending a little more than usual on food, usually
on sweet items and snacks. But with the way prices have been
rising these past few weeks, many families are economizing.

Widuri Sukandar, a housewife in East Jakarta, complained that
the price hikes have meant fewer items on the dinner table
compared to last year.

"Usually I cook two kind of snacks to break our fast, such as
kolak (bananas stewed with palm sugar in coconut milk) or dawet
(a drink of rice flour cut up and mixed with palm sugar and
coconut milk), and fried bananas or croquettes. But now I only
cook one thing to break our fast because we need the money for
Lebaran," she said.

Caterer Sri Sujati, said rising costs have forced her to
increase the price of her menu items.

"Usually I sell my snacks for Rp 400 a piece, but the higher
prices are forcing me to sell them for Rp 500 each. I'm not
really sure if many people will buy the snacks if the price is
too high," she said.

Waginem, a street vendor, said she too is under pressure to
raise her prices to make ends meet, but feared that fewer people
will buy her goods.

"Sometimes, the housewives, especially those who rarely go to
the market, don't know that the prices have increased and they
insist on paying the old prices," she said.

The crisis may have dampened the usual festive mood of
Ramadhan, but the religious spirit of fasting remains, or so it
should, said A. Mustofa Bisri, a leading Moslem scholar.

The main factor in fasting is the intention. People must fast
just in the name of Allah, and not for other purposes, Mustofa
said.

Otherwise, fasting will be simply a diet program, devoid of
any religious values.

"If you fast to shed a few kilograms, you will lose a few
kilograms. If you fast to impress your friends, you will impress
your friends. And if fast in the name of Allah, you will be
rewarded accordingly," Mustofa said.