Jakarta (Antara) - Vice President Jusuf Kalla attended the Muharram 1, 1436 Hegira Islamic New Year celebration at the Bung Karno Sports Stadium, Senayan, here on Sunday morning. The vice president was welcomed by thousands of Muslims coming from Jakarta and its satellite towns of Bogor, Tangerang and Bekasi (Jabodetabek). The event was also attended by the chairmen of the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI), the Indonesian Muslim Students Association (HMI) and other Islamic organizations as well by invitees and ambassadors from other countries. Muslim preacher Yusuf Mansur and singers Giring Nidji, Kristina and singers from the Wali Band Group also attended the Islamic New Year celebration. MUI Chairman Din Syamsuddin said the celebration should proceed smoothly and hopefully next year it would be celebrated more alive. "This year's Islamic New Year celebrations constituted a mental switch for Indonesia. The event should serve as a momentum for the government to work for the welfare of the people," he said. In the meantime, thousands of residents of the provincial capital of Medan City, North Sumatra, flocked to Merdeka Square for prayers to welcome the Muharram 1, Islamic New Year 1436 Hegira, on Saturday. The Muharram 1, 1436 Hegira Islamic New Year falls on Saturday. During the commemoration, the government of Medan organized a joint grand prayer and dzikr rituals that were attended by thousands of Muslims from different sub-districts of the province. The congregations from the sub-districts were directly led by the Mayor of Medan City, Dzulmi Eldin, and preachers Tuah Sirait and Ahmad Wijayanto. In his sermons, preacher Sirait appealed to the Muslims to submit to God. "Let's observe a moment (of silence) and ask God to pardon our sins and the mistakes we have made. May God pardon our sins," he said. He also asked the people to always seek pardon and enlightenment from God so that they are blessed with good luck. "We have to constantly move our tongues while reading dzikr and asking for forgiveness. Let's leave behind our worldly lives for a moment and seek God's blessings," the religious propagator said. Earlier, Mayor Eldin noted that besides enlivening the Islamic New Year celebrations, the mass prayers were also held to seek God's blessing for Medan City so that God always protects it and ensures comfortable lives for its residents. Hundreds of people in East Jakarta participated in a parade on Saturday to welcome the Muharram 1, 1436 New Year Hegira. In East Jakarta, people of all ages flocked to East Jakarta's Cipiang Nurul Huda Mosque. While some walked, others rode their vehicles in an orderly manner along the Jatinegara arterial roads. Several school foundations also organized the New Year commemorations, including the Ar Rizqi which organized the parade along Pemuda Street in East Jakarta. Large-scale celebrations will be held at the Bung Karno Sports Stadium (GBK) in Jakarta. Hundreds of thousands of Muslims are expected to attend the event. Furthermore, the General Chairman of the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI), Din Syamsuddin, appealed to Muslims to attend the Muharram 1, 1436 New Year Higera commemoration to prove their importance in Indonesia. They also want to show that Islamic New Year celebrations are as grand as other New Years' celebrations. (*)
