Indonesian Muslims Congress Promotes Bangka Belitung Tourism

By: Sakuri, Editor of Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)

In accordance with the closing ceremony of the 7th Indonesian Muslims Congress (KUII) on midnight Friday, February 28, 2020, unexpectedly there was an agenda visited destinations in Bangka Belitung Province, namely in Kulong Biru, a name that is quite foreign to people outside Bangka.

I was with the MINA News Agency team that covered KUII and a delegation team from the forum of Muslim unity, Jama’ah Muslimin (Hizbullah), left the next morning.

Previously, at the closing ceremony, Deputy Chairman of the Central Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) KH. Muhyiddin Junaidi in his closing remarks stated that the tourism sector became a mainstay of commodities in the Pacific Islands.

“Don’t forget that tourism tends to be business,” he said before the Indonesian Minister of Religion, the Governor of Bangka Belitung and other VIP invited guests who sat in the front row and all KUII participants who attended.

“With the community disease business,” he added.

Muhammadiyah figure exemplifies Bali in Indonesia and several other countries in the world, sometimes the tourism sector is identical entertainment, massage and other entertainments.

“Hopefully, in Bangka Belitung, it doesn’t happen like that,” hoped the Deputy Chairman of the MUI.

If that happens, according to him, it is feared not to get a blessing, not to get a profit, but instead to “benefit”.

To pay attention to and promote Bangka Belitung tourism, which is halal, of course, on Saturday morning, February 29, 2020, KUII participants were invited by the congress committee to travel to Kulong Biru.

With escort voorijder like important state officials, the group departed from Novatel to the tourist distortion of Kulong Biru.

Halal tourism

The tourism sector is part of the industrial products required for halal, implicitly contained in number five of the Bangka Belitung Declaration which states the development of halal industry.

“Encouraging state and Muslim organizers and the business world to jointly continue to develop a populist economy based on sharia economy and finance, making sharia economics a buffer of the national economy, through the development of the halal industry, sharia finance, social funds (ziswaf), and Islamic business”.

The view of Lake Kaolin (Kulong Biru), Koba and Koba Noodles

Subhanallah, the beauty of the Kulong Biru’s view sparked admiration for domestic and foreign tourists, including the group of 7th KUII participants who took part in enjoying the breathtaking view, having previously drained a lot of energy and thought when following the congested congressional agenda since Wednesday afternoon, February 26, until midnight Friday when the congress closes.

Kulong Biru is located in Nibung Village, Koba District, Central Bangka Regency, Bangka Belitung Province.

From Novotel Bangka Hotel & Convention Center where KUII is being held, it takes about 1 hour and 9 minutes to reach 64.8 km to the Kulong Biru tourist destination, passing Namang Street, Koba, about 15 km from Koba, the capital of Central Bangka Regency.

Arriving at the tourist area, the participants were welcomed by those representing the Regent of Central Bangka, Dr. Ir. Ibnu Saleh and the Sambut Dance, a typical dance of the Bangka Belitung Islands Province, especifically Bangka Regency, which is his courtesy to welcome guests who come to Bangka Belitung, even with the covering headscarves.

Usually, this dance welcomes government or private guests, welcomes heads of state, ministers and officials in government.

Treat Culinary Koba Noodles

In addition, the Regent of Central Bangka Regency also entertains Bangka’s culinary specialties, such as koba noodles, typical snacks from Koba, the name of a sub-district that is included in Central Bangka Regency.

The difference between Koba, Quba and Kobe

Koba is the capital of Central Bangka Regency. Initially, the author assumed that in this world there were only two very well-known Koba names.

First, Koba (Quba), the name of the mosque that was first established by the Prophet sallallaahu a Alaihi Wasallam when he stopped in his hijrah from Makkah Al Mukarromah to Madinah Munawwaroh.

Located about 6.9 kilometers before entering the city of Medina, the Prophet sallallaahu a Alaihi Wasallam together with his friend Abu Bakr built a mosque in the Quba area, now called the Quba Mosque, a mosque whose name is enshrined in the Quran. Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala praised this mosque and the person who established the prayer in it from among the inhabitants of Quba with his word in Surah At-Taubah verse 108,

لا تقم فيه أبدا لمسجد أسس على التقوى من أول يوم أحق أن تقوم فيه فيه رجال يحبون أن يتطهروا والله يحب المطهرين )108

“Do not pray in the mosque forever. Indeed, the mosque which was founded on the basis of piety (Quba Mosque), from the first day is more worthy of you pray in it. Inside the mosque there are people who want to clean themselves. And surely Allah loves clean people,” (Surah Taubah verse 108)

In the previous verse verse 107 in question is the dhirar mosque where Allah forbids prayer in it as mentioned at the beginning of verse 108.

والذين اتخذوا مسجدا ضرارا وكفرا وتفريقا بين المؤمنين وارصادا لمن حارب الله ورسوله من قبل وليحلفن ان اردنآ الا الحسنى والله يشهد انهم لكذبون )التوبة: 107

“And (among the hypocrites) there are those who set up mosques to cause disaster (for believers), for disbelief and to divide among those who believe and await the arrival of those who have fought against Allah and His Messenger long ago. They certainly swear, “We only want good.” And Allah bears witness that they are liars (in their oath). ”

The hypocrites who built the mosque with the aim of causing harm to the believers and disbelief in Allah and dividing among the believers, so that some Muslims pray at the mosque and leave the Quba Mosque where the Muslims do prayers in it.

As a result of the construction of mosque by the hypocrites that will make Muslims divide and wait for people who will fight Allah and His Messenger before, namely Abu Amir (the wicked priest) to be an opportunity to deceive the Muslims.

While the hypocrites really swear that they really do not want the construction of the mosque except for the mere goodness and compassion for the Muslims and loosen the weak again powerless to walk towards the Quba Mosque.

However, Allah testifies that in fact they really lie in the oath they declare. Then, the mosque was destroyed and burned at the direction of the Prophet sallallaahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam.

Second, Koba (Kobe). According to Wikipedia, the sixth largest city in Japan and is the capital of Hyogo Prefecture. Located on the south side of the main island of Honshu, on the north coast of Osaka Bay and about 30 km (19 miles) west of Osaka. With a population of around 1.5 million, the city is part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kyoto.

When I went to Japan, precisely in Tsukuba, I didn’t get to Kobe because it turned out that the distance from Tokyo City was quite far 524.9 km. To get to Kobe, you can use the Shinkansen train from Tokyo or Shin-Osaka, or by using a domestic lane flight from Haneda Airport, or by using an international lane flight to the Kansai International Airport, it will certainly drain your pocket deeper.

Alhamdulillah, thankful for the panorama of domestic tourism such as in Bangka Belitung, especially Central Bangka, with its Kulong Biru, cow noodles and also the typical Pangkal Pinang music with its “Aek Rumble” when greeting congressional delegates arriving at Adepati Amir airport, no less interesting than with natural panorama tourism, noodle cuisine and art culture in Japan.

No wonder the Deputy Chairman of the Central MUI in his remarks, Muhyiddin Junaidi to move halal tourism in Bangka Belitung.

“From Bangka Belitung we want to give something that is beneficial to the world, God willing,” said Muhyiddin who was greeted with thunderous applause.

Dawn in Congregation Bring Blessings

Another thing that is proud of the Deputy Chairperson of the MUI is that during his time in Bangka Belitung, he could hold the midday prayer. He along with 50 scholars and other famous scholars who participated in the congress traveled to the mosques around the hotel for the dawn prayer in congregation which was continued with the dawn lecture.

“Subhanallah,” said Muhyiddin after praying there was a coffee morning and a meal was provided, could also interact directly with the Bangka Belitung congregation, especially Pangkal Pinang and had time to ask whether the number of Fajr prayers was this much in other months.

“Thank God, it’s not much different,” answered the congregation imitated by Muhyiddin.

According to him, if you want to get a blessing, then the Bangka Belitung must be close to God. If the Bangka Belitung pray at dawn in congregation, “God willing” all the deadly viruses do not come and come near “Babelonia”, meaning Bangka Belitung.

On the other hand, if the people of Bangka Belitung are proud of disobedience, then viruses and diseases will easily enter “our bodies.” Therefore, the Babylonians who rely on tourism must keep away from the negative effects of tourism, such as sex and business diseases. Hopefully, that does not happen in Babelonia.

Traveler Testimonials

The following is the testimony of several tourists after traveling to Kulong Biru.

“Subhanallah, Allahuakbar. What an almighty God who has bestowed His gifts on humans. It would be more meaningful, if there was an adequate mosque and a routine study or murottal of letters about nature, such as Ar-Rahman, Al-Waqi’ah, etc. InsyaAllah, it will give a more valuable nuance, “Ustaz Wahyudi KS, Caregiver of Al-Fatah Islamic Boarding School, Cileungsi, Bogor Regency, West Java, told MINA.

“God created color as part of beauty. Imagine if only black and white, of course there is no joy. The blue color at Kaolin Lake certainly has a positive effect on the body and mind. Blue symbolizes depth, trust, loyalty, wisdom, confidence, destiny, heaven and intelligence. From a psychological point of view, blue means trustworthy and responsible.

Hopefully, anyone who visits here will be affected by the positive effect of the color blue being someone who can be trusted and responsible, “said Nurhadis, Head of the Sumatra Bureau of the MINA News Agency.

“It is quite interesting and can be used as a tourist destination with a more professional arrangement,” said Ustaz Ahmad Sholeh, a doctoral candidate in the Jakarta Quran College of Sciences, lecturer and preacher of the Jama’ah Muslimin (Hizbullah).

“Amazing, being able to visit one of the attractions in Pangkalpinang, moreover I was able to capture the moment, the place is clean, cool, and the color difference in the water of the lake is incredible, seeing it will further enhance our faith in God, the Creator of heaven and earth,”Said Muhammad Habib Hizbullah, student and photographer for the MINA News Agency. (AT/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)