Jakarta, March 25 -- Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan has suggested that the budget prepared by government institutions for group iftar be spent on providing food assistance to the community.

He made the statement on the heels of President Joko Widodo's (Jokowi's) directive to all government institutions to not host group iftar during Ramadan 1444 Hijri, which began on March 23, 2023, as per an announcement from the Religious Affairs Ministry.

"I, (and) all (government officials), are asked to not hold the group iftar . Hence, if there is (already) a budget (for the activity), it should be used to provide assistance to people who are in need," the minister said at the Presidential Palace here on Friday.

In this way, the iftar budget will ...