Tight Regulations In Saudi Arabia, Travel Agencies: Rather Than Stress, Umrah Trips Better To Be Delayed

Illustrated. (Achmad Basarrudin / YOU)

JAKARTA - A number of travel agencies have recommended that prospective members of the congregation postpone their departure for the Umrah pilgrimage in line with the strict regulations imposed by the Government of Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Actually, the pattern that has been agreed upon here is that they (congregation) undergo a swab (swab test) 3x24 hours before leaving. Until there, quarantine for three days, then swab again, those who are negative can go Umrah and can perform worship according to the rules," said the chairman. Her Suprabu, the Association of Indonesian Umrah and Hajj Worship Bureau Entrepreneurs (Perpuhi), quoted from Antara, Thursday, November 12.

However, according to him, when one member is positive, all members in the same group with the patient must undergo independent isolation. He said this condition occurred at the departure of the Umrah pilgrims some time ago.

"One thing was hit, in the end all members of the congregation had to isolate independently. While there, they could not go anywhere, only in hotels. They could not even continue their trip to Medina. They were stressed," he said.

In this regard, currently Umrah travel agents are looking for the best alternative so that congregation members are not constrained by various regulations, including the mandatory swab test that must be done four times while in Saudi Arabia.

"Therefore, for now we are appealing to postpone the Umrah congregation, because the rules are not certain. There are still up to four swabs there so that worship is not optimal," he said.

He said the delay itself was also carried out to minimize the risk of being exposed during the trip. Moreover, the government of Saudi Arabia is still deactivating the visa processing system.

"The visa system is off. The Saudi Arabian government is also still conducting an evaluation. Instead of forcing themselves to go there but until there, they cannot go for Umrah," he said.

Likewise, President Director of PT Hajar Aswad who is also the secretary of the Muslim Association of Hajj and Umrah Organizers of the Republic of Indonesia (Amphuri) Retno Anugerah Andriyani said that he had not recommended the congregation to perform Umrah during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Because the entire series of trips and the implementation of the Umrah pilgrimage are fully controlled and closely monitored by the Government of Saudi Arabia. The itenerary (list of activities and cost estimates) that we have prepared is almost entirely wrong because the policy on the timing of worship and the Umrah procession is entirely regulated by the Saudi Government," he said.

If the Umrah service is enforced, he added, it could have an impact on the congregation's inconvenience during the Umrah pilgrimage.

"Do not let the planned worship from the country become less than optimal and full of disappointment because of the many restrictions," he said.