Friday, 11 September 2026
MEDAN | INDATANEWS.COM - North Sumatra Governor Muhammad Bobby Afif Nasution on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, officially sent off the province's 90-member delegation to compete in the 31st National Musabaqah Tilawatil Qur'an (MTQ) 2026 in Semarang, Central Java.
The North Sumatra Provincial Government has set an ambitious target for the delegation: to improve on its previous national ranking and secure a place among the four best provinces in Indonesia.The send-off ceremony was held at the Tengku Rizal Nurdin Hall on Jalan Sudirman No. 41, Medan. The delegation consists of 56 participants, or kafilah, 25 officials, and nine coaches, who will represent North Sumatra at the national religious competition.
The North Sumatra delegation is scheduled to depart for Central Java on Friday, September 11, 2026. It will compete in the 31st National MTQ with the aim of improving the province's performance from the 2024 National MTQ in East Kalimantan, where North Sumatra finished eighth nationally."Amid the natural disasters that have affected several regions of our country today, we hope that the recitation of the Holy Quran's verses at the 31st National MTQ will help create a peaceful and tranquil atmosphere in Indonesia and protect the country from danger. Particularly for North Sumatra, we hope the province will always remain under Allah's protection and be blessed," Bobby said.
He expressed hope that the presence of qari, qariah, hafiz, hafizah, and participants in various MTQ categories would inspire renewed courage while conveying a message of peace. Bobby also urged the entire delegation to uphold the good name of North Sumatra throughout all activities in Semarang.In addition to carrying out their religious mission, Bobby called on the participants to give their best in their respective competition categories. He said thorough preparation must be accompanied by motivation, discipline, and confidence in their abilities in order to achieve optimal results.
"In 2024, we finished eighth. If we can improve by four to five places, we hope North Sumatra can finish among the four best provinces in the country this year," he said.
The target reflects the province's strong determination to improve its performance at the national MTQ. If the delegation succeeds in moving up four places, North Sumatra would join the country's top-performing provinces at the 2026 National MTQ.Bobby also praised one of North Sumatra's top qari, who has qualified to represent Indonesia at an international MTQ competition in Croatia. The international event is scheduled to take place in late September 2026.
According to Bobby, the qari's achievement in reaching the international level demonstrates that North Sumatra has talented Quran reciters capable of competing at a higher level. He hopes the achievement will motivate the entire delegation competing in Semarang.At the same time, he urged all participants to remain focused on their preparations until departure. The support of the provincial government and the people, Bobby said, would be an important part of the North Sumatra delegation's journey to the national competition.
Yasir assured that all kafilah were ready to deliver their best performances in their respective competition categories. He also emphasized that the participants would compete with maximum effort to achieve the target that had been set.
"Our target at the 2026 National MTQ in Semarang is to finish among the top five or four provinces in the country, improving on our eighth-place finish in 2024. We ask all the people of North Sumatra for their prayers and support so that the entire journey and all competitions can run smoothly," Yasir said.The statement further demonstrates the North Sumatra delegation's readiness to take part in the 31st National MTQ 2026. With 56 participants, 25 officials, and nine coaches, the delegation will pursue its mission of improving the province's previous result and strengthening North Sumatra's standing at the national level.
The delegation's departure on Friday, September 11, 2026, will mark the first step before the participants take part in various competitions in Semarang. The North Sumatra Provincial Government hopes that the preparation process, which is already 90 percent complete, will provide the kafilah with a solid foundation for achieving their best performances.Beyond the target of finishing among the four best provinces in the country, the North Sumatra delegation is also expected to uphold the values of fair play and use the MTQ as an opportunity to further strengthen the people's love for the Quran. Support from the people of North Sumatra is expected to serve as an important source of motivation for the kafilah as they face delegations from provinces across Indonesia. (IDNC)
REPORTER: Ahmad Zulfikar | EDITOR: Fik Sagala
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