Ridwan Kamil Will Lead The West Java Hajj Congregation

BANDUNG - West Java Governor M Ridwan Kamil was assigned the task of becoming the amirul hajj or the leader of the pilgrims from West Java during the hajj pilgrimage in 1443 Hijriah/2022 AD.

"If there are no obstacles, I will be the amirul hajj at this year's hajj. (In) 2019 the Deputy Governor of West Java, 2020 is not there, 2021 is not there. Now 2022 is. said Ridwan Kamil in Bandung City as reported by Antara, Wednesday, June 8.

According to him, the duties of the leader of the hajj pilgrims include ensuring that the congregation is safe and healthy and can access the services they need, including consumption and transportation services, while performing their worship in the Holy Land.

"So that's my job in the Holy Land later, to make sure it's the amirul hajj," he said.

The governor said that if there were no obstacles he would go to the Holy Land to carry out his duties as amirul hajj in late June or early July 2022.

According to him, currently six flying groups (kloters) of pilgrims from West Java have departed for the Holy Land.

"The information that I got was that six groups had flown to the Holy Land from prospective hajj pilgrims, only 45 percent of the 100 percent of what we should have received," he said.

According to data from the Regional Office of the Ministry of Religion, West Java Province has a quota of sending 17,679 people to the Holy Land in 2022.

"The Hajj quota of 17,679 people includes 27 Hajj and Umrah Guidance Group advisers and 86 Regional Hajj Officers," said Head of Hajj and Umrah Affairs at the Regional Office of the Ministry of Religion of West Java Province H Ahmad Handiman Romdony.

He added that the West Java Province hajj quota in 2022 was only about 46 percent of the average provincial hajj quota in the period before the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has prevented the Indonesian government from sending hajj pilgrims to the Holy Land for two years since 2020.