Regarding The Plan To Increase Hajj Costs, The DPD Proposes To Improve Services For Congregations First

SOLO - The Ministry of Religion (Kemenag) proposed an increase in the Cost of Organizing Hajj (BPIH) in 2024 from Rp 90.05 million to Rp 105 million.

Chairman of the DPD RI AA LaNyalla Mahmud Mattalitti emphasized that before talking about the increase in costs, the Ministry of Religion was asked to first ensure the best service for pilgrims. Considering the implementation of the Hajj in 2023, there were many problems.

"Don't talk about the cost of going up, but the main thing is to make sure service improvements and guarantees don't happen again due to the delay in the implementation of the Hajj as in the 2023 Hajj season yesterday," said LaNyalla, Thursday, November 16.

The senator from East Java asked the Ministry of Religion to socialize in more detail what improvements have been made, so that the shortcomings that had occurred during the previous Hajj pilgrimage did not happen again.

"Congregants are certainly still haunted by concerns that similar problems will occur again. Therefore, we all have to encourage the service of pilgrims and facilities for Hajj to be much better. So, pilgrims can carry out their worship solemnly. This point should be prioritized by the Ministry of Religion," he said again.

Hajj issues are a matter of fulfilling the right of citizens to worship. The Ministry of Religion, in this case, as the authority of the organizers, should provide convenience and not burden its citizens.

"In the law on the Implementation of Hajj and Umrah, it is firm and clear, this hajj matter is not only a matter of the economy, but concerns the right of citizens to worship, where the state must attend," he said.

As is known, the implementation of the 2023 Hajj received broad attention because of the many problems and difficulties experienced by Indonesian pilgrims. Especially services for the congregation during the peak of the pilgrimage in Arafah, Muzdalifah, and Mina (Armuzna).

For example, many Indonesian pilgrims were late in carrying buses from Muzdalifah to Mina so that many were neglected. Before that, there were also departures from the pilgrims of several groups who were colored by delays.

There is also a problem with the capacity of airplane seats used to transport Indonesian pilgrims which were changed unilaterally without approval.