The government’s plan to introduce a rise in the cost of haj for Indonesia’s pilgrims this year has elicited a mixed response from observers, particularly since it surfaces at a time when Saudi authorities have lowered haj service prices.
This year, Indonesia’s quota for pilgrims will return to its pre-pandemic size for the first time in three years since the global health crisis forced Saudi Arabia to ban or reduce the number of foreign pilgrims.
The government told a Thursday meeting with the House of Representatives about its proposal to increase the cost of this year’s pilgrimage to 69 million rupiah (RM19,740) per person – far higher than last year’s 39 million rupiah (RM11,160) per person.
While lawmakers have yet to agree to the proposal, observers have been quick to voice their concern over the hefty price tag and suggested that the government should cut costs elsewhere in the programme.
“We urge (the government) to review its accommodation costs in Mecca and in Medina, so that (this year’s haj travel) cost can be more reasonable,” Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) deputy head Anwar Abbas said on Saturday, as quoted by Kompas.com.
Responding to the plan, Ahmad Fahrurrozi of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) central board said the government and lawmakers should form a team geared toward investigating how costs could be reduced.
“The Religious Affairs Ministry, the BPKH (Haj Fund Management Agency) and the House should form a team that will carefully calculate which (aspects) must absolutely be paid and which ones can be cut,” Fahrurrozi said, as quoted by Kompas.com.
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has said the government had not yet settled on the haj fee for Indonesian pilgrims this year.
“We’re still reviewing some of the options, so there is no final figure yet. We’re still calculating it,” the president said yesterday during a visit to a construction site in Ciliwung, East Jakarta.
He said the government would need to discuss the new haj fee with the House of Representatives before making a final decision.
“This is not yet final. Don’t make a fuss over it,” he said, as quoted by Antara.
Previously, during the Thursday meeting with lawmakers, Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas said that the price hike came as part of the government’s effort to lower subsidies for haj pilgrims in order to conserve its funds for future pilgrims.
Whereas the government had subsidised around 60% of the cost for each pilgrim in 2022, the government is looking to subsidise only 30% of this year’s cost.
“This proposal is based on the consideration of conserving the sustainability of haj funds,” Yaqut said on Thursday.
“In our opinion, that is the most logical way to keep (the funds managed by) the BPKH from being continually drained.”
The ministry’s Haj and Umrah Management director-general Hilman Latief said on Saturday that this year’s cost for Indonesians going on the haj would have been more expensive had Saudi authorities not cut the price of their haj service by 30%.
“The ministry has successfully negotiated for (this year’s haj service) to be valued at 4,632 Saudi riyals (RM5,290). It’s a 1,024 riyal (RM1,170) decrease (from last year), or about 30%,” he said.
Indonesia struck a deal with Saudi authorities earlier this month to reinstate its pre-pandemic haj quota of 221,000 for this year.
Indonesia sent just over 100,000 pilgrims to Saudi Arabia in 2022 under strict health guidelines.
They were required to be fully vaccinated and present negative results from PCR tests taken at most three days before their departure. — The Jakarta Post/ANN
