Prabowo Targets Hajj Fees To Continue To Drop And Waiting Time To Be Cut To 26 Years

JAKARTA - President Prabowo Subianto asked the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah to continue to reduce the cost of Hajj to cut the waiting time for Hajj departures for Indonesian pilgrims to 26 years.

While chairing the Plenary Cabinet Session in one year of government, President Prabowo asked the Minister of Hajj and Umrah Mochamad Irfan Yusuf who was unable to attend to review the cost of Hajj to be lowered through budget efficiency.

"The Minister of Hajj, he was not present because he is now in Saudi Arabia dealing with them, I ask that the cost of Hajj must continue to fall. Yes, it can be efficient. It can be with clean efficiency and implementation," said President Prabowo while giving an introduction to the Plenary Cabinet Session at the State Palace. Jakarta, Monday, October 20.

In addition to lowering the cost of Hajj, Prabowo also wants the acceleration of the Hajj waiting time from the current average of 40 years, to be cut to 26 years.

The Head of State is optimistic that the two targets can be realized. Moreover, the government has formed the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, while previously, the Hajj affairs were under the Hajj Organizing Body.

Prabowo said the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah was formed at the request of the Government of Saudi Arabia, which assessed that hajj matters should be handled at the ministerial level.

"We established the Ministry of Hajj at the request of the Saudi Arabian government because he said, 'We are the Minister of Hajj. So we have to ask for his business with officials. Oh, this is the Head of the Agency'. No, he wants a minister. Is it okay to make it, we adjust it," said the President.

On that occasion, the President revealed that the Government of Saudi Arabia, for the first time in history, changed their laws and approved foreign countries to buy land in the Holy Land.

Therefore, the Government of Saudi Arabia also approved the plan of the Government of Indonesia to build an Indonesian Village in the City of Mecca, thanks to the continuous approach taken.

The Saudi Arabian government also offers a number of strategic lands, even those located not too far from the Grand Mosque.

However, the purchase of the land must be done through an open auction with other entities, which amount to around 90 entities.

"When I met the Minister of Foreign Affairs yesterday, I was said, 'Sir, this auction was closed on October 30. But how many thousand is the auction list, right? Oh, 90 other entities are also the bidding for the land we want. 90, huh?' Hopefully, maybe the Minister of Religion will lead a special prayer," said Prabowo.