Ministry Of Religion Diverts 24 Thousand Quota For Hajj Pilgrims Who Have Not Paid BIPIH

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Religion (Kemenag) has stated that it will transfer as many as 24,276 quotas of prospective pilgrims who have not paid the Hajj Travel Fee (BIPIH), to pilgrims who are included in the reserve quota.

"Until the payment period ends, the remaining quotas that have not paid (BIPIH) are 24,276 pilgrims. Furthermore, to fill the remaining quota that has not paid, it will be filled by reserve pilgrims," said the Director General of Hajj and Umrah at the Ministry of Religion Hilman Latief in the RDP with the House of Representatives Commission VIII as reported by ANTARA, Monday, May 22.

Hilman said that based on Law Number 8 of 2019 concerning the implementation of the pilgrimage and Umrah, the allocation of quotas for regular Hajj pilgrims and special Hajj pilgrims given by the Government of Saudi Arabia in 1444 Hijri or 2023 AD was 221,000 quotas.

The quota for regular pilgrims is 203,320 pilgrims, consisting of 190,897 pilgrims, 10,166 elderly priorities, 685 KBIHU leaders or companions and 1,572 regional hajj officers. Meanwhile, the special quota for pilgrims is 17,680 for pilgrims consisting of 16,305 pilgrims and 1,375 special hajj officers.

However, in the period of payment of BIPIH for the regular hajj quota agreed from April 11 to May 19, 2023, based on data from pilgrims whose Ministry of Religion is known to only 179,044 pilgrims have paid them.

Meanwhile, there were 29,775 reserve pilgrims who had paid BIPIH in total.

"Of the 24,276 there are remaining (coota), indeed there are several provinces that are not fulfilled until we combine the reserves," he said.

Regarding the provinces where the reserve quota is not filled, namely DKI Jakarta, Papua and North Sumatra, where the total number of them combined reaches 266 people. From this quota, the Ministry of Religion decided and will distribute the quota, especially to provinces that are still one embarkation.

The remaining 119 people from DKI Jakarta quota will be given to Banten Province as many as 70 people and Lampung Province as many as 49 people. Then the remaining quota of Papua Province, all 17 people will be given to South Sulawesi Province.

"Meanwhile, the remaining 130 quotas of North Sumatra Province will be given to two provinces with the longest waiting period with details for South Kalimantan Province as many as 18 pilgrims, South Sulawesi Province 112 pilgrims," he said.

Then responding to the question of the injustice of the transfer of the quota, Hilman conveyed to members of the House of Representatives Commission VIII that the policy was actually a simulation-shaped policy, which was carried out in the event of a vacancy in the quota provided.

However, the policy could be compromised by his staff in the regions, if there are parties who are not pleased. "Actually, in our rules, if it is not fulfilled, then the vacancy can be filled by the congregation with one embarkation. These are a form of simulations in the province where the amount (of quota vacancies) is rather large. So we just simulate it, but this can be compromised," he said.