REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Vice President Jusuf Kalla held an Istisqo prayer to ask for rain at Jakarta's main Istiqlal Mosque here on Sunday morning.

"The prayer is initiated by the vice president himself with a hope that God will immediately give rain and end the current long dry season in Indonesia," assistant deputy for communication and public informtion of the vice president's secretariat Rusmin Nuryadin said in a written statement.

The prayer was led by H Hasanudin Sinaga while Dr KH Ma'ruf Amin had acted as preacher in the event.

Vice President Jusuf Kalla in a white Muslim costume and grey trousers and a black cap arrived at the mosque at 7.05am accompanied by his wife Mufidah Jusuf Kalla.

Several cabinet ministers were seen attending the event including religious affairs minister Lukman Hakim Saifuddin, education minister Anies Baswedan, minister of national planning and development/head of the National Development Planning Board, Sofyan Djalil, and deputy foreign minister AM Fachir.

Jakarta residents started arriving for the prayer event at 6am.

Forest and peat land fires have ravaged in many locations in Sumatra, Kalimantan, Papua and others causing haze that has made many people suffer from respiratory problems and disrupted public activities.

Regional officials have also held the prayer before while parliamentary members organized it last Friday.

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