THE yard of the PT Arun Representative Office in the Wisma Nusantara Building on Jalan Thamrin, Central Jakarta, was crowded with neatly parked cars that morning. Jalan Raya Thamrin was also crowded with cars crawling slowly. Lined up neatly like ants.
A man appeared from behind the taxi door in front of the office. He was Suaidi Yahya, the deputy mayor of Lhokseumawe (at that time), stepping into the white-painted building. Suaidi came to the office to convey the mandate from the Committee for the Construction of the Lhokseumawe Islamic Center Grand Mosque.
The mosque that had been handed over by the North Aceh Regency Government to the Lhokseumawe City Government was still under construction and could not yet be used. Through Suaidi, the Committee for the Construction of the Islamic Center Mosque asked PT Arun to help continue the abandoned construction.
The President Director of PT Arun at that time, H Fauzi Husin, welcomed Suaidi's arrival. Fauzi Husin promised to help build the mosque and become the focus of PT Arun's assistance to support Aceh's special status in the field of religion.
The Head of the Islamic Center Mosque Construction Committee, Tgk H Yusuf Kasim, expressed his gratitude when he received information from PT Arun that their request had been granted. "Alhamdulillah. PT Arun responded with a very large amount of funds, IDR 1.2 billion," said Tgk Yusuf Kasim smiling.
Since then, the committee began to make a detailed budget for the use of assistance from Arun, so that the mosque building could be used immediately. The bushes that had grown abundantly in the yard of the mosque began to be cleared using a bulldozer. In fact, at that time, the mosque building was starting to look haunted because it had been neglected for too long. In a short time, the yard of the mosque began to look clean.
PT Arun's assistance was used to build the second floor by installing ceramics, so that now the second floor can accommodate 20 thousand worshipers. With this assistance, the committee also completed the construction of the ablution area. The remaining funds were used to build drainage (drainage channels).
Since then, dozens of motorbikes (sepmor) belonging to the congregation have been seen parked in the yard of the mosque every day. Four-wheeled vehicles can also park neatly. The congregation for Friday prayers, not only from Lhokseumawe and North Aceh who come, but also from other districts.
The Rp1.2 billion fund donated by PT Arun has lightened the burden of the committee, the community and also the government in building a place of worship. Although it has helped the first stage of Rp1.2 billion, PT Arun is still committed to disbursing further funds to accelerate the process of building the mosque. The request for financial assistance submitted by the mosque construction committee in the proposal for the construction of the mosaic was taken seriously.
PT Arun responded quickly to the request for funds for the construction of the hall and two domes. "Approaching Friday prayers (exactly February 24, 2012), suddenly we saw the PT Arun group led by the Vice President Director of PT Arun, Fuad Buchari had arrived at the mosque," said Tgk Kasim.
After Friday prayers, Fuad Buchari immediately symbolically handed over the second phase of aid in front of hundreds of worshipers worth Rp500 million. Fuad also took the time to see the mosque building.
"Arun has been helping the Islamic Center mosque since 2002. In 2011 alone, we have donated more than Rp1.2 billion," said Fuad. In the future, his party hopes to be able to help other mosques in districts/cities in Aceh.
Meunasah
Of course, it is not only the Islamic Center Mosque that is the focus of PT Arun's assistance in the religious field. Since PT Arun was established, there have been countless mosques and meunasahs that have received assistance from PT Arun. Among them, the Paloh Mosque and the Cunda Mosque in Muara Dua District, Lhokseumawe.
PT Arun, among others, also donated to 54 meunasahs in North Aceh, Lhokseumawe, Bireuen, and East Aceh. Then 40 mosques, 45 units of religious study halls, which are in the four regencies/cities also often receive assistance. According to Fuad Buchari, throughout 2011, not only mosques were assisted, but also assisted students who excelled at five universities, namely Syiah Kuala University (Unsyiah), the State Islamic Institute (IAIN) Ar-Raniry in Banda Aceh. Then, Lhokseumawe State Polytechnic, Malikussaleh State Islamic College (STAIN) Lhokseumawe and Malikussaleh University (Unimal), North Aceh.
Fuad said that his party had prepared funds for social activity plans to help places of worship in all districts/cities in Aceh. Likewise with the distribution of scholarships to outstanding students. "As long as Arun is still producing, we will continue to help the community not only in the environment but also in other districts/cities," he said.
Arun's commitment to helping places of worship was finally proven for the third time, especially the Islamic Center. This time it was the turn of President Director Iqbal Hasan Saleh to hand over assistance for the continuation of the construction of the Islamic Center mosque. The third stage of the aid fund, also handed over by Arun in the form of a check, worth IDR 500 million.
The committee used the funds for the construction of the first floor which can now be used as a place of study for children in Lhokseumawe. "In the form of cash that has been given by PT Arun, it has reached IDR 2.2 billion," said Tgk Yusuf. According to him, so far it is not only in the form of cash that has been helped. Arun also provided assistance in the form of goods, including trash cans, then dozens of ornamental plants that are now growing in the yard of the mosque.
The mosque construction committee also made a proposal to be submitted to PT Arun for preparation for the construction of the first floor of the mosque wall. "We are sure that PT Arun will definitely want to help the community, as long as the gas refinery is still operating. Although Arun's commitment to helping the mosque is not in writing, we are sure that Arun is consistent in building a place of worship," said Tgk Yusuf.
Tgk Yusuf said that so far no other company has helped build the Islamic Center as much as PT Arun has donated. "The mosque that has been built is a donation from Arun, the community, and also from the government," he said.
To complete the construction of the mosque, funds of around IDR 75 billion are still needed. The funds that have been used for the construction of the mosque have reached IDR 120 billion. "Now all activities can be carried out in the mosque. Not only religious studies, one of the rooms built with PT Arun funds has also been used as a secretariat for the Ulama Consultative Assembly," he said.
Now every day the mosque is filled with worshipers who perform prayers and also enjoy the coolness of the mosque yard which is already beautiful with various types of ornamental plants.
The Islamic Center Mosque is now an icon of Lhokseumawe City and in the long term it is planned to become a center for Islamic studies. Tarmizi A Karim when he was the regent of North Aceh initiated an institution like the one in Makassar, South Sulawesi, called Almarkazul Islamiyah with a mosque, library, and Islamic museum. Many parties have helped realize the plan, one of which is PT Arun. However, support is still needed continuously, continuously, and continuously from various parties to realize Aceh's special status in the religious field.
