Taking the Noble Path, Marbot Mosque is Not Yet Prosperous
Marbot welfare in Banjarmasin and Cirebon is still low. Attention, especially from the government, is highly anticipated.
This article has been translated using AI. See Original .
About AI Translated Article
Please note that this article was automatically translated using Microsoft Azure AI, Open AI, and Google Translation AI. We cannot ensure that the entire content is translated accurately. If you spot any errors or inconsistencies, contact us at hotline@kompas.id, and we'll make every effort to address them. Thank you for your understanding.
/https%3A%2F%2Fasset.kgnewsroom.com%2Fphoto%2Fpre%2F2024%2F03%2F21%2F8066c94e-089a-411b-a412-d8ac95ce0321_jpg.jpg){kind=logo}
Suriansyah (57), marbot or mosque member, cleans the carpet at the Al-Amin Mosque, Banua Anyar, Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, Thursday (21/3/2024).
Until now, there are still many workers in mosques or caretakers who are not prosperous. They still receive wages below the standard regional minimum wage.
Suriansyah, 57, a caretaker at Masjid Al-Amin in Banua Anyar, Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, stated that he currently receives a monthly wage of IDR 1 million as a caretaker. This wage has remained unchanged for the past few years.
"That's the salary that ulun (I) receive every month from the mosque management. "Apart from money, ulun also received assistance with basic materials," he said when met in Banjarmasin, Thursday (21/3/2024).
Also read: Marbot, Reassuring Voluntary Work
Every month, Suriansyah receives 5 kilograms of rice, 1 liter of cooking oil, 1 kilogram of granulated sugar, 15 packets of instant noodles, and 30 eggs. He enjoys the wages and basic necessities together with his wife and two children.
/https%3A%2F%2Fasset.kgnewsroom.com%2Fphoto%2Fpre%2F2024%2F03%2F21%2F1811ba29-9be3-44be-8af0-d26dd14fd0b9_jpg.jpg){kind=logo}
Suriansyah (57), a marbot or mosque member, turns on a fan at the Al-Amin Mosque, Banua Anyar, Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, Thursday (21/3/2024).
"If you only expect income from ulunit's definitely not enough to eat for a month. "Fortunately, ulun's wife and one child also work, so that's enough," said a resident of Banua Anyar Village, East Banjarmasin, who has been a marbot for six years.
When compared to the Banjarmasin city minimum wage (UMK) and the South Kalimantan provincial minimum wage (UMP) in 2024, Suriansyah's wage is only one-third of UMK Banjarmasin and UMP Kalsel. The Banjarmasin UMK has reached IDR 3.3 million, while UMP Kalsel is IDR 3.2 million per month.
Zainuddin (42), mosque marbot Historical Sultan Suriansyah, Banjarmasin, also had more or less the same fate as Suriansyah. Even though he has been a marbot for almost eight years at the oldest mosque in Banjarmasin City, his wages have not yet reached Banjarmasin's minimum wage.
The mosque is comfortable, clean, that's because of Marbot.
"Every week, ulun receives IDR 500,000 from the mosque management. "So, the total is IDR 2 million a month," he said.
According to Zainuddin, he has received wages or incentives of IDR 500,000 per week since 2022. This wage has increased from before. "When I first became a member of this mosque in 2016, ulun received IDR 200,000 per week or IDR 800,000 a month," he said.
/https%3A%2F%2Fasset.kgnewsroom.com%2Fphoto%2Fpre%2F2024%2F03%2F21%2Fc90380ed-752c-45c7-ace0-d1a1a3b5e781_jpg.jpg){kind=logo}
Zainuddin (42), mosque marshal, tidies up the congregation's reading books at the Sultan Suriansyah Historic Mosque, Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, Monday (18/3/2024).
Zainuddin does not deny that his current salary as a caretaker is smaller than his earnings when he used to sell pentol, a type of meatball snack. When he was still selling pentol, he could earn at least Rp 100,000 per day or Rp 3 million per month.
"The wages for working as a people (marbot) are not much, but I'm sure there are many rewards and blessings. "By becoming a clan, ulun can do more worship so that life becomes calmer," said this father of one child.
Government support
The Daily Chairman of the Historical Sultan Suriansyah Mosque Management, Ahmad Mahfuzh, stated that they are currently unable to provide greater incentives due to budget constraints. "Actually, the incentives are already quite substantial. Although they are small compared to UMK, they are still higher than the salaries of honorary teachers in Banjarmasin," he said.
According to Mahfuzh, a mosque caretaker in Banjarmasin not only receives incentives from the mosque management, but also receives an allowance or transportation assistance from the Banjarmasin City Government. The assistance is received twice a year, amounting to Rp 2.28 million per semester.
Also read: Mosque Marbot Still Not Prosperous
"We still hope for government attention and support for the welfare of marbots. "Hopefully the provision of assistance will continue," he said.
/https%3A%2F%2Fasset.kgnewsroom.com%2Fphoto%2Fpre%2F2024%2F03%2F21%2Fff4800fe-dfb8-437a-a17d-8882e9d07f66_jpg.jpg){kind=logo}
The atmosphere of the residence of the marbot or the Al-Amin Mosque, Banua Anyar, on the banks of the Martapura River, Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, Thursday (21/3/2024).
Mayor of Banjarmasin Ibnu Sina stated in February that the local government has allocated a budget of Rp 11.7 billion in 2024 for transportation assistance for around 2,600 Islamic teachers, both male and female, as well as Quranic school teachers and caretakers in Banjarmasin. "This is a form of the local government's concern for the welfare of Islamic teachers and caretakers in Banjarmasin," he said.
Similar concern has also been demonstrated by the Mosque Prosperity Board (DKM) of At-Taqwa in Cirebon City, West Java. The DKM, together with its congregation, has prepared various programs to improve the welfare of the mosque caretakers, from monthly salaries and holiday allowances to opportunities to perform the Umrah pilgrimage.
The Secretary General of At-Taqwa Center, Ahmad Yani, stated that caretakers are the front line in managing and serving the congregation in the mosque. They are responsible for opening the mosque, beating the drum, cleaning, sweeping, and guarding the belongings of the congregation.
/https%3A%2F%2Fasset.kgnewsroom.com%2Fphoto%2Fpre%2F2024%2F03%2F22%2Fdbd395b7-afeb-4023-ac04-85aa5e3b2399_jpg.jpg){kind=logo}
Wakim (73), marbot, cleans the terrace of the At-Taqwa Mosque in Cirebon City, West Java, Tuesday (19/3/2024).
"A comfortable and clean mosque is due to the caretaker. If not taken care of by the mosque committee, who else will take care of it? I always say, it is a sin if the mosque committee does not take care of the caretaker," said Yani in Cirebon on Thursday (21/3/2023).
Various perks
According to Yani, who is also a lecturer at the State Islamic Institute of Syekh Nurjati, Cirebon, they have made special regulations regarding the welfare of mosque keepers or marbots. The rules state that marbots receive honorariums or intensives based on their work experience as well as educational background and expertise.
At Masjid Raya Cirebon, there are two classifications for caretakers (marbot). The first one is 31 permanent caretakers, while the second one is freelance workers whose numbers adjust to the needs of the mosque's services.
"Originally, we had 60 permanent custodians. But, due to Covid-19, we were unable to pay them. Eventually, only 31 people were left. The rest work on a non-permanent basis," he said.
Freelance workers receive a daily wage of IDR 75,000. Meanwhile, the caretaker still receives a basic honorarium in accordance with the minimum wage of around IDR 2.4 million per month in the surrounding city, health benefits, old-age insurance, one-time holiday allowance based on the basic honorarium, and even pre-Ramadan supplementary benefits.
/https%3A%2F%2Fasset.kgnewsroom.com%2Fphoto%2Fpre%2F2022%2F04%2F24%2F9037839e-329e-4e27-b202-9d765d65b026_jpg.jpg){kind=logo}
The atmosphere in front of Masjid At-Taqwa in Cirebon City, West Java on Saturday night (23/4/2022). During the last 10 nights of Ramadan, this mosque, which was established in 1918, is often visited by the congregation. In addition to performing the Tarawih prayer, the congregation also observes iktikaf.
"The munggahan allowance is not available in other mosques. Even civil servants don't receive it. The amount is around Rp 750,000," said Yani. This allowance is a form of attention from the mosque management towards the caretaker of the mosque and their families in welcoming the fasting month.
Yani mentioned that the provision of fees in accordance with the regional minimum wage and other incentives had gradually been implemented since 2018. That year, Masjid At-Taqwa also pioneered the protection of employment social security guarantees for the DKM throughout the city of Cirebon. They collaborated with BPJS Employment in Cirebon.
Through the program, they pay a premium of IDR 15,000 to IDR 20,000 per month for the mosque's caretaker. This way, the caretaker of Masjid At-Taqwa gets assurance for their old age. Up to 2022, around 200 caretakers from 100 mosques in the Cirebon area have enrolled in the program.
The party hopes that other DKMs can follow various programs at Masjid At-Taqwa to improve the welfare of caretakers. It also encourages the Cirebon City Government to share the burden of paying BPJS Employment premiums for caretakers. Moreover, on average, mosques only have 2-3 caretakers.
