Jokowi's reason for banning officials from ASN breaking fast during Ramadan
President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) asked for joint iftar activities among officials and the state civil apparatus (ASN) during the month of Ramadan 1444 Hijri this time to be abolished.
The prohibition to break the fast is stated in the Cabinet Secretary's Letter Number 38/Seskab/DKK/03/2023 regarding directions related to holding iftar together which was confirmed by Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung on Wednesday (22/3/2023).
Reporting from the letter sheet on Thursday (23/3/2023), the President's reason for banning iftar activities for officials and ASN is because currently the handling of Covid-19 is still in a transitional period from pandemic to endemic.
Therefore, caution is still required during this transitional period.
The letter was addressed to the ministers of the Onward Indonesia Cabinet, the Attorney General, the TNI Commander, the National Police Chief, and heads of agencies/institutions.
The letter asked the Minister of Home Affairs (Mendagri) to follow up on these directives to governors, regents and mayors.
In addition, ministers, heads of agencies, heads of institutions, and heads of regions are asked to comply with the President's directives and pass them on to all employees in their respective agencies.
Currently the Ministry of Home Affairs (Kemendagri) is preparing a circular letter (SE) as a follow-up to the Cabinet Secretary's letter.
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"We are in the process of preparing the SE," said the Head of Information Center at the Ministry of Home Affairs, Benni Irwan, when confirmed by Kompas.com, Wednesday evening.
"We will immediately follow up with the SE to the governors, regents and mayors. It is currently being processed, once completed it will be sent to the regions," he said again.
As is known, the government through the Ministry of Religion (Kemenag) has set 1 Ramadhan 1444 H or the start of fasting for Ramadhan 2023 to fall on Thursday (23/3/2023) or today.