RELIGION-RAMADAN/INDONESIA-PREPS Indonesian Muslims flock to markets and malls ahead of Ramadan

Record ID: 151236

  • Title: RELIGION-RAMADAN/INDONESIA-PREPS Indonesian Muslims flock to markets and malls ahead of Ramadan
  • Date: 15th June 2015
  • Summary: JAKARTA, INDONESIA (JUNE 14, 2015) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF SENEN MARKET BANNER READING (Bahasa Indonesia): "WELCOME RAMADAN" MAN CUTTING MEAT BEEF STALL VARIOUS OF TRADER CUTTING MEAT SIGNBOARD READING: "BEEF CORNER" JAKARTA RESIDENT, SUMARNI, BUYING BEEF HAND COUNTING MONEY (SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Indonesia) JAKARTA RESIDENT, SUMARNI, SAYING: "It's not good. I hope the authorit
  • Embargoed: 30th June 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Indonesia
  • Country: Indonesia
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA861F41B19GV56GEUYP8Z1KIX4
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Muslims in Indonesia flocked to a local market on Sunday (June 14) for some final shopping ahead of the fasting month of Ramandan.
    During Ramadan, the ninth and holiest month in the Islamic calendar, all healthy adult Muslims are expected to refrain from eating and drinking during daylight hours.
    This year, Ramadan - which runs from mid-June - will be a more abstemious affair because widespread job losses, a spike in inflation and lower earnings from commodities that Indonesia sells to the world have hit consumers' purchasing power.
    Indonesia has the world's largest Muslim population, shoppers said they expected food prices to increase along with demand ahead of the holy month when families gather for large fast-breaking dinners.
    Consumer prices in Southeast Asia's biggest economy rose by 7.15 percent in May, the highest this year, as the cost of food staples such as rice and chilli leapt.
    Locals hoped authorities would control the prices.
    "It's not good. I hope the authority, the governor, controls prices so it will not increase too much. For the working class like us, if the price is too high we can't afford it," said Jakarta resident, Sumarni, who was stocking up beef for the festival.
    "It is the most important event of the year, of course we cannot skip it. It's an obligation," another resident, Tumina, added.
    In shopping malls in the Indonesian capital, many Muslims were shopping ahead of the holy month.
    One salesman said trade usually increased dramatically during Ramadan.
    "The sales are expected to increase threefold during Ramadan compared to a normal period, so as for our sales target, usually it is higher," said Tubagus Imanuddin.
    The fasting month is expected to start on Thursday (June 18) in Indonesia, depending on the sighting of the crescent moon, which marks the official start of the month in Islam's lunar calendar.
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