Visa Hasn't Published As The Cause Of Separate Hajj Candidates From The Group

Documentation for the departure of the first batch of pilgrims from Balikpapan City at Sultan Aji Muhammad Sulaiman (SAMS) Sepinggan airport. BETWEEN PHOTOS/Aditya Nugroho

JAKARTA - Director General of Hajj and Umrah (Director General of PHU) Hilman Latief said that the delay in visas experienced by pilgrims for Hajj candidates in the early days of departure was one of the causes of the large number of prospective pilgrims separated from their entourage.

"At the beginning of departure, for example, we witnessed that some of our congregation's visas had not yet been issued, even though they were also scheduled to leave or fly to the holy land," Hilman Latief said in a Working Meeting with Commission VIII of the DPR as reported by ANTARA, Monday, May 19.

Hilman explained that the delay in the issuance of this visa forced some prospective hajj candidates to be postponed. Thus, the seats left behind must be shifted to congregations from other groups that are apparently handled by different sharia.

On the other hand, for the first time, Indonesian pilgrims are served by eight sharia ( Saudi Arabian Hajj organizers), which in the end triggers the issue of separating this group.

In the previous Hajj, there was only one sharia that served pilgrims. However, the transformation steps taken by Saudi Arabia have made Hajj services change and demand that Hajj delivery countries must adapt.

"And because of that, for this year we continue to anticipate such incidents in the future," said Hilman.

According to him, the Ministry of Religion has taken steps to reunify or reunite husbands or mahram, including the elderly and their companions.

The Ministry of Religion has re-registered members of the congregation who are separated from their entourage, both those who have left for the holy land and are still waiting in their homeland.

The data was then classified and submitted to the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah of Saudi Arabia. The Saudi government, he said, had responded positively to the reunification effort.

"God willing, the separate process of merging pilgrims is ongoing, and we hope that all of them can return together, especially when they are in Makkah before the peak of the hajj in Arafah, Muzdalifah, and Mina," he said.

Not only congregants, Hilman revealed that a number of group officers also experienced separation from the congregation's entourage due to different sharia determinations.

"There are even separate health workers. We make sure there are health workers in all groups and sectors. If there are pilgrims who need it, they can be served by the nearest health officer," he said.