JEDDAH - The government reminds the public not to dare to go on the hajj through non-procedural channels. This warning was delivered after Saudi Arabia tightened the rules of the hajj and began to prosecute foreign pilgrims who entered without an official hajj visa.
The message was conveyed in a meeting between the Director General of Haji and Umrah Implementation, Puji Raharjo, with the Consul General of RI in Jeddah, Yusron B Ambary, at the Jeddah KJRI Office. The two agreed to strengthen public education so that Indonesian citizens are not caught up in illegal Hajj practices.
"It is important for the public to understand that the Government of Saudi Arabia only recognizes official Hajj visas as valid documents for performing the Hajj," said Puji as quoted from the Ministry of Hajj website, Sunday, April 4.
Yusron reminded the public not to be easily tempted by the fast track offer. According to Yusron, pilgrimage visas, visit visas, or other documents outside the provisions cannot be used for hajj. "Only the hajj visa issued by the Saudi authorities is accepted," he said.
The warning is not without reason. The KJRI Jeddah noted that Saudi officials repeatedly took action against Indonesian citizens who tried to perform the hajj using a non-hajj visa. The method is diverse, ranging from fake hajj attributes, fake identity cards, to visas with data that does not match the passport.
The risk is not light. Pilgrims not only fail to perform the hajj, but are also threatened with heavy fines, deportation, and a ban on entering Saudi Arabia for 10 years.
During the meeting, the government also clarified the misunderstanding about Dakhili Hajj. This scheme is only for local Saudi citizens and expatriate iqamah holders who are still valid for at least one year. This line cannot be used to send pilgrims from Indonesia outside the official mechanism.
The public is also asked to be wary of Haji Furoda offers or other packages that promise departure without queues. The government emphasizes that what must be checked is not the name of the package, but the certainty of the Hajj visa, the legality of the organizer, and the appropriateness of the procedure.
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