TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Jakarta Deputy Governor Sandiaga Uno said that there will be a series of Christmas festivities in Jakarta’s National Monument or Monas, which he plans to attend.

“There will be a collect and a Christmas message of peace and an opening speech from the Governor,” said Sandiaga Uno on Wednesday, December 6.

Sandi, as the Deputy’s known as, said that he already met and discussed the plan with several representatives of Christian organizations. They agreed to hold the Christmas festivity in January of 2018, “The ritual itself will be conducted in their own respective places, considering Christianity’s diversity,” said Sandi.

Governor Anies Baswedan has already issued the permit for Monas to be used for religious activities. He claims that he referred to Governor’s decree No 186/2017 on the change of Governor’s decree No 160/2017 on the management of the Monas area. This decree allows Monas to be used for state activities, academic, social, tradition, and religious activities.

Immediately after the decree was introduced, the first to be held at Monas was the Mawlid al-Nabi celebration on December 1, followed by the 212 rally reunion, which is a reunion for the groups of people who rallied against Basuki Tjahaja Purnama or Ahok back on December 2, 2016.

Sandiaga Uno claims that the Christmas celebration was already discussed for a long time and that Jakarta Officials have also met with the Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI) and the Jakarta Harmonious Religious People Forum (FKUB).

M Rosseno Aji