Haji Meeting Delayed 2.5 Hours, President Criticizes Key Behind Improving Services for Pilgrims

BOGOR - The meeting between President Prabowo Subianto with the leadership of the DPR, the DPR Hajj Supervisory Team, Commission VIII of the DPR, and the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah which was originally scheduled for only one hour actually lasted more than 2.5 hours. One of the things that concerns the President is the importance of communication and coordination between the government and the DPR in improving Hajj services.

Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi said the meeting lasted longer because the President wanted to listen to various evaluations and inputs related to the 2026 hajj.

"It was originally planned for only one hour, but the meeting was full of familiarity, with discussions for the improvement of the implementation of the Hajj in the future," Prasetyo told reporters at the Garuda Yaksa Detention Center, Hambalang, Bogor, Wednesday (17/6).

Deputy Speaker of the DPR and Chairman of the DPR Hajj Supervisory Team, Cucun Ahmad Syamsurijal, said the President paid great attention to various improvement measures that had been carried out, ranging from reducing the cost of the hajj, cutting queues, to improving the quality of services for pilgrims.

According to Cucun, the President also emphasized that the improvement could not be carried out without good communication between the DPR and the government.

"He emphasized to us all, it is good that the Fathers from the DPR with his troops in the Ministry of Hajj work together and communicate. The capital is good communication and coordination between the DPR and the government," said Cucun.

A similar view was expressed by the Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Mochamad Irfan Yusuf. According to Gus Irfan, cooperation with the DPR Hajj Supervisory Team during the Hajj season has greatly helped in resolving various problems on the ground.

"Our cooperation with the DPR as Timwas is very constructive so that all difficulties in the field can be resolved quickly and carefully," said Gus Irfan.

During the meeting, the DPR also conveyed the results of supervision of the 2026 hajj as well as a number of notes for improving services next year.

The President, said the participants of the meeting, asked for various breakthroughs that have proven to be effective to be maintained. Meanwhile, various shortcomings that are still found must be immediately evaluated so that the quality of the congregation's service continues to improve.

The DPR and the Ministry of Hajj in the meeting both stated that they would continue to evaluate the implementation of the hajj. The President also asked for various breakthroughs that were considered successful in the 2026 hajj season to be maintained and improved in the following years.