DPR asks the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah to start focusing on the peak of Hajj after 80 percent of pilgrims arrive

Deputy Chairman of Commission VIII of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Singgih Januratmoko, at the parliament complex, Jakarta. (House of Representatives)

JAKARTA - Deputy Chairman of Commission VIII of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Singgih Januratmoko, asked the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah to start focusing on preparations for the peak performance of the hajj in the Arafah, Muzdalifah, and Mina (Armuzna) areas after more than 80 percent of prospective pilgrims from Indonesia arrived in Mecca with good general conditions.

According to Singgih, data shows that the majority of Indonesian prospective pilgrims are in the age category above 50 years so that they need special attention in terms of health and mobility.

"Mitigation approaches must be the top priority. We not only ensure the smooth running, but also the safety of the congregation as a whole," said Singgih in Jakarta, Saturday.

In the face of potential overcrowding and extreme weather in Armuzna, he said the mitigation steps that the government needed to take were on the right track.

According to him, several important steps that need to continue to be strengthened, including cluster-based management of the movement of pilgrims to avoid the accumulation of pilgrims, the optimization of preventive-based health services and early detection approaches, the use of information technology and the increase in the capacity of health workers.

Singgih also appreciated the proactive steps that had been prepared, including strengthening the scheme for transporting pilgrims from Mecca to Arafah and the movement of the Armuzna inter-location, providing tents that are friendly to pilgrims, including cooling and sanitation facilities, timely distribution of consumption and according to the needs of pilgrims and the preparation of health services, especially for elderly and high-risk pilgrims.

In addition, he added, transportation, accommodation, and consumption services in the implementation of the departure of pilgrims so far have run relatively smoothly without significant disruptions. This reflects the increasingly mature systemic readiness in the implementation of the national hajj.

"This is an achievement that we should be grateful for together. Solid coordination between Hajj officers, the government, and Saudi authorities shows an improvement in the quality of services from year to year," he said.

He ensured that Commission VIII of the DPR RI would continue to carry out its oversight functions constructively to ensure that all stages of the haj were carried out according to the service standards set.

"The implementation of the hajj is a global public service that requires high professionalism. We must continue to make continuous improvements so that pilgrims get the best service," he said.