'Not Serving Officials But the Community', Menhaj's Hard Message for Hajj Officials 2026

JAKARTA - Minister of Hajj and Umrah Mochamad Irfan Yusuf emphasized that prospective Hajj officers in 2026 were prohibited from serving superiors or officials when on duty in the Holy Land. He asked all officers to focus entirely on serving pilgrims.

"Hajj officers do not serve their instanced leaders. You do not serve ministry officials, you do not serve state officials. What you serve is the hajj pilgrims," said Irfan Yusuf after leading the morning appeal for education and training of Hajj Service Officers (PPIH) 1447 Hijriah/2026 at the Hajj Dormitory Pondok Gede, Jakarta, Antara, Wednesday, January 14.

This affirmation is a signal of a change in the bureaucracy's paradigm in the implementation of the hajj in the Holy Land, from a hierarchical pattern to a congregation-based service.

The man who is familiarly called Gus Irfan emphasized that there should be no institutional barriers on the field.

Officers from the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Religion, TNI, Polri, and community organization elements must merge into one identity as Indonesian Hajj officers.

He asked the officers to cover each other's shortcomings, not to blame each other between sectors.

"One congregation is left behind, that is the failure of us all. There are congregations who get lost when you want to pray or eat, defeat personal interests," said Irfan.

The statement responded to various criticisms of previous haj arrangements, where fragmentation between officers often occurred in the field.

Health officials often only focus on medical services, while worship officers concentrate on manasik, so that congregations who need general assistance are often overlooked.

In addition, the feudal culture in the haj service, where officers are more busy serving VIP guests or officials who are on the haj, is often considered to sacrifice service for regular pilgrims.

Through the 2026 Hajj with a leaner and integrated organizational structure, the government, said Irfan, wants to ensure an equal standard of service for all pilgrims regardless of their position or social background.