JAKARTA (REUTERS) – Indonesia’s government has declared that the moon is not in the right position for the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan to end as expected on Tuesday, causing hungry disappointment in the world’s most populous Muslim nation.

Indonesians, 90 per cent of whom are Muslim, celebrate the end of Ramadan or Eid al-Fitr festival with a feast and new clothes, but they have been forced to put their delicacies back in the cupboard for one more day.

Housewife Nur Arifah did not expect the announcement, which came late on Monday, and got up early that day to cook plenty of stewed beef for her family in Jakarta.

‘My nephews and nieces have all gathered in my father’s house to celebrate with new clothes, yet it’s the wrong day.

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ndonesians, 90 per cent of whom are Muslim, celebrate the end of Ramadan or Eid al-Fitr festival with a feast and new clothes. -- PHOTO: AFP